Midwestern Booyah Stew
A classic Midwestern Booyah Stew made with whole chicken, optional beef, split peas, cabbage, root vegetables, tomatoes, and vegetable juice. This slow-simmered, hearty stew is rich, filling, and designed to feed a crowd.
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Servings: 0
Ingredients
- 10 lb whole chicken bone-in and skin-on (stewing chickens recommended)
- 1 cup split peas soaked overnight and drained
- 1 beef oxtail
- 10 –12 cups water or enough to fully cover the chicken
- 1 –4 lb beef stew meat cubed (optional)
- 6 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- 4 cups onions chopped
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 46 oz bottle V8 Original vegetable juice
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt such as Lawry’s
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 6 cups carrots peeled and chopped
- 6 cups celery chopped
- 8 cups red potatoes chopped
- 16 oz green beans fresh, frozen, or canned, drained and chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Place the whole chickens, soaked and drained split peas, beef oxtail, and water into a large stockpot or roaster oven. Ensure the chickens are fully submerged.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Remove the whole chickens from the pot and set aside to cool. Add the cabbage and onions to the broth and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. If using beef stew meat, add it at this stage.
- Once the chicken has cooled sufficiently, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut or shred the chicken into desired-sized pieces and set aside. Remove and discard the oxtail from the pot.
- Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable juice, white pepper, salt, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the carrots and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
- Stir in the celery and continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes.
- Add the prepared chicken and potatoes to the stew. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. During the final 15 minutes of cooking, add the green beans if using.
- Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe is naturally gluten-free when prepared as written. To ensure it remains gluten-free, verify that the seasoning salt, vegetable juice, and canned ingredients are certified gluten-free and free from wheat-based additives.