Sep 27

Brunswick Stew

Posted by Crystal  //  25 Comments »
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You just don’t get much more Southern than this thick, rich, and hearty traditional Brunswick Stew recipe, and not only is it my favorite stew in the whole world, but anyone who’s tried this recipe agrees that it simply is the Best Brunswick Stew on the planet!

{Best Ever} Brunswick Stew

I love this stew, and I’ve worked on it for YEARS to perfect it.  I love it for lunch or dinner, and it’s so hearty and stick-to-your-ribs that it’s practically a meal all on its own. I have some pairing suggestions for what to serve with it, so be sure to check out what to serve with Brunswich Stew below. Plus, this is an easy Brunswick Stew recipe! You make it all one big pot, and you can even get it started a day or two ahead of time. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you how to do that.

What Is Brunswick Stew?

Originating from Brunswick, Georgia, this Southern stew can be made with pork, beef, or chicken, though back in the very late 1800s, it was made with squirrel, rabbit, or opossum. It has a tomato base loaded with beans, veggies, and big chunks of meat. It is slow-cooked goodness!

Ingredients

  • Whole chicken – You’ll need a 3-4 pound chicken.
  • Onions – Yellow or white onions are fine.
  • Bell pepper
  • Vegetable oil 
  • Canned diced tomatoes – You’ll need 3 of the 16-ounce cans; juice and all.
  • Canned tomato sauce – Just an 8-ounce can.
  • Sugar 
  • White vinegar
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • All-purpose flour – You can omit the flour to make this a gluten-free Brunswick Stew.
  • Chicken stock – Reserved from cooking the chicken in step 1.
  • Potatoes – About a pound, peeled and cubed.
  • Canned baked beans – 1 16-ounce can.
  • Hot sauce – Use your favorite hot sauce.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Canned corn 
  • Canned lima beans
  • BBQ sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
{Best Ever} Brunswick Stew

How To Make The Best Brunswick Stew Ever!

  1. Add the chicken to a large pot of water and simmer it for 45 minutes with the lid on.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the chicken stock and freeze the rest.
  3. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken when it is cool enough to handle, then chop the chicken meat and set it aside.
  4. Saute the onion and bell peppers in oil in the pot until tender. 
  5. Add the chopped chicken, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
  6. Combine the all-purpose flour with 1 cup of the cooled chicken stock and whisk it until smooth. Stir this into the chicken and tomato mixture.
  7. Add the potatoes, canned beans, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  9. Add the drained corn and lima beans and cook an additional 10 minutes.
  10. Add the BBQ sauce, starting with ½ cup and taste it, adjusting the salt and pepper and adding more sauce if you like.
  11. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

  • Save the rest of the chicken stock for other tasty chicken soups or stews. Freeze it in containers and use up all that deliciousness!
  • You can make this recipe with bought chicken broth and leftover rotisserie chicken, but this from-scratch method is sooo much tastier!
  • Use your favorite BBQ sauce and add more as needed for flavor.
  • This stew is even better the next day, so don’t worry if you have leftovers!

How To Make Brunswick Stew Ahead Of Time

You can certainly do parts of this recipe ahead of time. For example, you can cook the chicken and remove the meat. Pop the cut-up chicken meat and reserved broth into the fridge, and freeze the rest of the broth all ahead of time.You can also cook the stew hours or even a day before. I would cook it as suggested reserving the potatoes, canned corn, and canned lima beans until you’re ready to reheat the stew. When ready to reheat it, add the potatoes, corn, and lima beans and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

{Best Ever} Brunswick Stew

Serving Suggestions

This is a meat and potatoes kind of stew, complete with veggies, so you don’t really need to add much to the meal. I love serving this chicken Brunswick Stew with homemade biscuits and pickles. You could also serve it along with a salad if you need more leafy greens in your day.

Storage

You can store any leftover Brunswick Stew in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It tastes even better reheated! Yum! Check out how to freeze individual servings for later.  This freezes GREAT!)

Print

{Best Ever} Brunswick Stew

Ingredients

  • 1 – 4 pound whole chicken
  • 1.5 cups chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 – 16oz cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 – 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock reserved from boiling the chicken
  • 1 pound potatoes peeled & cubed
  • 1 – 16oz can baked beans
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 – 16oz can corn
  • 1 – 16oz can lima beans
  • 1/2 cup – 1 cup bbq sauce depending on your tastes…I add 1 cup to mine, sometimes a little more

Instructions

  • Cook chicken in a large stockpot of boiling water for 45 minutes with the lid on.
  • Remove chicken from liquid to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the chicken stock & freeze the rest. Please don’t throw it away – that’s good stuff! Skin, bone, & chop chicken.
  • Saute onion & bell pepper in hot oil in your large stockpot until tender. Add chopped chicken, tomato, & next 4 ingredients.
  • Combine flour & 1 cup of reserved chicken stock, whisking until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. Add potato & next 5 ingredients.
  • Cover & cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Add corn and lima beans. Cook for 10 additional minutes. Add in the bbq sauce, starting with 1/2 cup. Taste & add more depending on your tastes.

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posted by Crystal on September 27, 2011 — 25 Comments »