Once you try my delicious Brunswick Stew you will be hooked and wonder how you made it this far without it. When I slow cook or smoke a pork butt I always make sure I save some of the meat so I can make this flavor packed stew. This is one of our favorite recipes and using already smoked and roasted meat makes it pretty much a dump-and-go recipe.
This classic southern dish is a thick stew that every great Southern cook knows how to make. This tomato base stew is made with barbecue sauce and a mixture of leftover smoked and roasted meats like pork, chicken, and beef. It typically has corn, lima beans or butter beans, and a few simple spices to give it just a touch of heat. There is some debate about whether this stew originated in Brunswick City, Georgia, or Brunswick County, Virginia which is how it got its unique name. It was originally made with squirrel meat, rabbit meat, and other wild game.
so while brunswick stew ingredients change by region, corn, small game animals like squirrels or rabbits, beans, beef or pork, potatoes, etc are included. The key to this recipe than regular stew is you are supposed to cook it long enough that the paddle you are stirring it with can stand up on its own.
Why this recipe works!
- This stew is big and bold on flavor. It has a little Tex-Mex Southern flair to it and that is what I love about it.
- Have you ever smoked a big pork butt and wondered what you could do with the leftovers that would be different and exciting? Or bought a roasted chicken from one of the big box stores only to be left with half the bird and no great plan. Well here is your plan! You can even freeze the meat and make the stew in a few weeks.
- The stew is full of wholesome all-natural ingredients with plenty of protein and vegetables that you can feel good about eating and feeding your family,
- One of the things I absolutely love about this recipe is that it freezes quite well. Make a big pot, enjoy what amount you want and then simply add individual amounts to quart-size freezer bags leaving some space for expansion, and lay them flat in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then heat on the stove or in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl. Do not heat in the plastic bag.
How to make Brunswick Stew
Start by heating a little oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy stock pot. Then add the onion and cook until tender. Then reduce the heat and add the minced garlic cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Now stir the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of chicken broth and add it to the pot. Then add the remaining chicken broth, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, baby limas, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add the smoked pork and chicken and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes. If desired season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls and drizzle with just a little bit more barbecue sauce.
How To Make Brunswick Stew Georgia Style Recipe
FAQ
What is the difference between Brunswick stew and regular stew?
Why is Brunswick stew called that?
Is Brunswick stew a Southern thing?
What characteristics does the stew have that makes it a stew?
What is Brunswick stew?
Brunswick stew is a tomato-based stew generally involving local beans, vegetables, and originally small game meat such as squirrel or rabbit, though today often chicken. The exact origin of the stew is disputed.
What is Brunswick brew?
Native to this county is Brunswick Stew, a flavorous brew first concocted by a group of hunters. One of the party, who had been detailed to stay in the camp as a cook, lazily threw all the supplies into a pot, it is said, and cooked the mixture over a slow fire.
How do you make Brunswick stew?
Here’s how to make Brunswick stew: Sautee the veggies. Begin by heating olive oil and veggies (I used onion, celery, and bell pepper) in a large pot on the stove, and then add in some fresh garlic. Add the meat. Next up, you’ll add in all your leftover meats.
Is Brunswick stew from Georgia?
Tangy and bright and brimming with corn, limas, and shreds of meat, it’s by no means the original recipe, but it sure is delicious. Was this page helpful? Is Brunswick stew from Brunswick, Georgia, or Brunswick County, Virginia? The evidence favors Virginia, but Georgia’s version wins on flavor.