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Booyah Stew

A quintessential Midwestern dish, this Booyah Stew brings together tender chicken and succulent beef in a robust, savory broth. Ideal for large gatherings, this stew exemplifies hearty comfort food with deep, rich flavors and a medley of nourishing vegetables.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the broth:

  • 2 ½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs trimmed
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs trimmed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 celery ribs coarsely chopped
  • 2 onions coarsely chopped

For the stew:

  • 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 pound russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½-inch chunks
  • 8 ounces rutabaga peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage from 1 small head
  • Lemon juice optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Pat both the short ribs and chicken dry, then season them generously with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Brown the beef on all sides, about 10 minutes total, then remove and set aside. Repeat the process with the chicken, cooking until both sides are well-browned. Remove the chicken, discard the skin once cool enough, and reserve.
  • Without draining the rendered fat, sauté the onions and celery in the same pot over medium-high heat until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add bay leaves, then return the beef and chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Take out the chicken, and once cooled, discard the bones and shred the meat. Refrigerate the shredded chicken. Continue simmering the broth with the beef until the meat becomes tender, around 75 to 90 minutes more. Remove the beef, discard bones, fat, and inedible tissues, then shred.
  • Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Allow the liquid to settle, skim off the fat, and return the defatted broth to the pot.
  • Introduce the cabbage, diced tomatoes, rutabaga, carrots, and potatoes to the broth. Let the stew simmer over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Stir in the shredded chicken and peas, cooking just until heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Offer lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Notes

The bones in the meats enhance the broth's richness; remove cartilage from the beef before shredding.
For convenience, store-bought chicken broth works well, though homemade is an excellent alternative.
Rutabaga can be omitted and replaced with additional potato if preferred.
A squeeze of lemon brightens the stew’s flavor right before serving.
Yields approximately 5 quarts of stew.
Leftovers keep for up to 4 days refrigerated, or freeze for up to 3 months.