The winter months often leave us longing for warm sunny beaches, counting the days left until we have another 7pm sunset, and doubling up on our doses of antidepressants. But if even after that you still daydream about swerving into the left side of the road, try cooking up an extra large batch of my “Jimmy Giblet Stew!”
Jimmy Giblet Stew
But Doris, what is a Jimmy Giblet? And why are we making stew with it?
The origins of this traditional meal comes from Appalachian folklore, and while the original story is quite troubling, this meal makes you almost forget its nefarious beginning.
Back in the 1800s, there lived a boy by the name of Lefty Giblet. Lefty was a simple farm boy, who tried to better himself through education. Young Lefty spent hours everyday learning how to read and write, and practicing his handwriting so that one day he might be able to make something of himself. He wrote by candlelight, and dreamed of being a world renowned author someday.
However, his life took a turn for the worse when the Sherif’s son Jimmy saw him writing at the local schoolhouse. Jimmy was jealous of Lefty’s work ethic and motivation, and instead of taking inspiration from him, he bullied the young writer. When Jimmy realized that Lefty was left handed, he tormented Lefty with verbal assaults. “Kak-handed!” Jimmy would yell from the streets as Lefty just tried to walk with his head down. “Southpaw!”
While these insults hurt Lefty, he didn’t let the jabs stop him from doing what he loved. He continued to write day in and day out, for longer hours. “That’ll show Jimmy…” Lefty thought to himself. “When I’m a big time writer, he’ll see!”
But one day when Lefty was out helping his family to tend to the farm animals, Jimmy snuck into Lefty’s room. Using his left hand, he smudged all of the ink on every page of Lefty’s debut manuscript. When Lefty returned to the scene of the crime, he was furious. Lefty was done letting Jimmy push him around.
For the next few days, Lefty started plotting his revenge. He withstood Jimmy’s abuse, and went about his normal everyday routine. But one day when the Sherif and his wife were fast asleep, Lefty snuck into their home with the hay shears from his family’s farm. He quietly sneaked up to Jimmy’s room, and chopped him up… using his left hand.
When Jimmy’s family woke up, they smelled something delicious. The smell had them drifting down to the kitchen to see what had been prepared. On the stovetop sat a large pot of stew, with delicious hunks of meat, potatoes, and carrots. Since they could not find Jimmy, his family assumed that he had cooked the stew as a surprise for them before taking off for school. So, they indulged in the aromatic meal thinking it was cooked by Jimmy, and not realizing that it was Jimmy.
Legend says that the ghost of Lefty Giblet still haunts the mountain towns, protecting those who write left handed, and smiting those who hurt them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Whew, that was a bit of a heavy backstory! Let’s lighten up the mood with a few reasons why you are sure to love this recipe!
- It’s got the perfect cozy vibes – This recipe is perfect for those cold winter months. Something about it just warms the soul!
- It can be slow cooked – No time to cook? Simply dump all of the ingredients into your crockpot before work and set to slow cook for 6 hours.
- High in protein – The protein in this recipe comes from the Jimmy, so it’s perfect for those following a Keto diet or who are looking to put on some muscle.
- Customizable – You can serve this stew over rice, mashed potatoes, or on its own with a piece of crusty bread!
Sourcing your Jimmy
While Jimmy can be a difficult ingredient to find, it’s easy if you know where to look!
The key to a perfect Jimmy Giblet stew is to find organic, pasture raised Jimmy meat. Preferably, unlike Lefty, I prefer to use cruelty free, free range Jimmy for my stews. So how can you find it if your local grocery store doesn’t stock it?
Remember, anyone can be a Jimmy. Unless of course you’re named Jimmy.
Tips and Tricks
Tenderize Your Meat
If you want your Jimmy Giblet stew to melt in your mouth, make sure to buy a tender cut of Jimmy. If only tougher cuts are available, I would recommend using a meat tenderizer to ensure that the chunks of meat aren’t too tough!
Best shared at a sleepover
The best meals are those we share with others, so I recommend getting together a bunch of friends to sleepover and share this delicious recipe. You could even get together and cook it as a group activity!
Get Pre Chopped Veggies
If you’re too lazy to chop vegetables like my son Toby, you can stop by Trader Joe’s and get a few items to speed up the process. Trader Joes sells pre chopped mirepoix mix, and baby potatoes that don’t require any chopping.
Ingredients:
Now, enough rambling! Let’s get into the recipe.
1. Lemon
Tangy, Juice, and Tart. What’s not to love!?
How to Make This Dinner Recipe:
Follow the instructions for this recipe carefully.
Step 1: Lemon
Recipe Card:
Jimmy Giblet Stew
This stew is the perfect winter meal to warm your soul!
⏲️ Prep Time: 0 mins
⏲️ Cook Time: 0 mins
🍽️ Serves: 4
🍴 Main
Ingredients:
- Lemon
Directions:
- Lemon