I recently ended up preparing the best stew I’ve ever had; and I've had many over the years. I was hosting family and dear German friends for a get-together. As a main course, I wanted an American dish that would be a bit different and that I could prepare a day in advance. I like stew-type dishes not only because they can be prepared in advance, but because they often taste better on the second or third day. This fit the model perfectly.
In my search for possibilities, I ran across a Brunswick stew recipe with great reviews at: https://www.smalltownwoman.com/brunswick-stew/#recipe
Two American cities claim credit for the stew – Brunswick, VA & Brunswick, GA. Some claim it originated in Braunschweig, Germany. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunswick_stew.
The meat used in original versions was rabbit and/or squirrel. Mine would not be an original version.
For the most part, I followed the version I found, but I did make a few changes. The recipe I found was for six servings. I wanted nine. So, I multiplied the original contents by 1.5 and made a few changes. Below, you will find my version with the changes from the original contents underlined. The recipe is very flexible.
The meal included my home-made cornbread, salad, store-bought key lime pie, and cookies.
The recipe provided enough for six generous servings for the six of us, plus large-portion dinners for me for the following two evenings. It got better each day. With every spoonful, I would say to myself, “I love it!”
While cooking is very straight forward, I would only prepare it when guests are involved – because of the preparation time that brining and roasting the chicken involved.
One caveat – lima beans can cause gas.
Brunswick Stew
Original Ingredients Modified for 9 servings
2 1/4 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 large
onions finely chopped
Potatoes –
(I used four Melissa’s baby Dutch yellow potatoes, each cut into eight pieces (added
to original recipe - from Aldi's.)
3 cloves
garlic minced (I used 3 Tbsp bottled minced garlic.)
3 1/4 cup
low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 can 14.5-ounce
fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 1/4 cups
frozen corn (I used a 15 oz. can of Green Giant whole kernel sweet corn.)
2 1/4 cups
frozen lima beans
1 1/4 cup
barbecue sauce plus more for drizzling (I used Kinder’s mild BBQ sauce)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/8 teaspoon
fresh ground black pepper
3 3/4 cups
pulled smoked pork (You can use leftover pulled pork. I used a 12-oz.
container of Curly’s cooked sauceless, hickory-smoked, seasoned pulled pork.)
2 1/4 cups
cooked diced chicken breast or chicken thighs smoked or roasted. (You can
use leftover cooked chicken. I brined and then roasted a chicken breast in my
Ninja XL Pro Air Fryer.)
The recipe also called for the following hot spices. However, instead of cooking with them, I put them on the table for guests to add if they wished
1/8 teaspoon
crushed red pepper
1-2 pinches
of cayenne pepper
2 1/4
teaspoons hot sauce
Instructions
Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot. Add the onion and potatoes; and cook until tender - 5-6 minutes.
Reduce heat and add the minced garlic cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
In a small bowl stir the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of chicken broth then pour it into the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, lima beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper to the pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the smoked pork and cooked chicken and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes. If desired season the stew with salt and more pepper to taste.
Spoon into bowls and drizzle with just a little bit more barbecue sauce.
Below are the Author’s Notes from the author of the original recipe
“This is my go-to recipe for leftover smoked pork and roasted chicken. You can use all of one or the other but I think it tastes better with both. You can also use different percentages of each. If you are a hunter or live off the land, try squirrel, rabbit, or other game meat. Ground beef and ground pork or other less expensive options.
Other vegetables you might add include
potatoes, butter beans, celery, and okra
The stew is a hearty meal in itself. However, if I am expecting company or have
extended family over for dinner I like to serve it with coleslaw, Cornbread,
and Southern Fried Apples.
I use a Kansas City-style BBQ sauce which
is a little thinner, light on sugar with a little bit of kick. This is just the
way I like it. I think it is a good match for the stew.
After spooning the stew into bowls drizzle
with just a little bit of extra barbecue sauce.
It makes a great presentation and a little bit of added flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in
the refrigerator for up to 3 days.”