Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew – thick, flavorful and hearty one-pot stew with vegetables and meat on a chicken broth and BBQ sauce base with other seasonings for a deeper, complex flavors that marry beautifully. A must-have on colder days!

September Stew is officially up, folks! I hope you had a wonderful and fun summer season. But if you’re already missing all the summer food, wait until you have your first bowl of this popular Brunswick Stew. Snuggling up on my couch with a big bowl of stew is what I’m intending to do this coming fall and winter nights. 😉

What is Brunswick Stew?

To all those who are curious, Brunswick stew is said to be a traditional popular dish in the Southern part of the U.S. Although there’s no  exact place of origin, some would claim that it first originated in Brunswick County, Virginia and the city of Brunswick in Georgia.

Generally, this popular stew involves tomato as its base, local beans and corn, vegetables and a double dose of meat in the form of pork, chicken or beef OR basically whatever meat is around.

The Traditional Brunswick Stew Recipe

But don’t you know that the traditional Brunswick stew would call for squirrel, rabbit or possum meat? Along with the squirrel or rabbit meat, lima beans, barbecue sauce and a touch of cayenne  are also added to add flavor and depth to a classic Brunswick stew recipe.

It’s safe to say then that this recipe here is a traditional meets the modern version. I use pulled pork and turkey as my meat and a touch of  my homemade barbecue sauce (👈 click for recipe) and cayenne to add flavor along with lima beans and corn for texture.

Can you freeze Brunswick Stew?

One of the best thing about this Brunswick stew is that you can make a big batch in a pot, and store whatever is left in a freezer bag. It’ll last up to 3 days in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer. You just have to heat them up before serving. 

I love serving this Brunswick stew with a freshly made cornbread, hushpuppies or bread. It makes a great side dish or as main course. Believe me, this stew here is a must-have on your menu especially when you get too lazy to slave in the kitchen on cold days. 

Enjoy!

Tips and Notes:

1. You can make a big batch in a pot, and store whatever is left in a freezer bag. It’ll last up to 3 days in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer.
2. You can use either pork, turkey or chicken,. Your call.

Print

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew - thick, flavorful and hearty one-pot stew with vegetables and meat on a chicken broth and BBQ sauce base with other seasonings for a deeper, complex flavors that marry beautifully. A must-have on colder days!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 685 kcal

Author: Immaculate Bites

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion , diced
• 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced thyme
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon creole seasoning (adjust to taste)
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ -¾ cup BBQ Sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more (adjust to taste)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound cooked pulled pork
• 1 pound cooked chicken or turkey

Instructions

1. Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then add onions, garlic,thyme, saute for about 3-4 minutes until onions are wilted.
   

2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste , creole seasoning , and worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
   

3. Pour in chicken broth and bbq sauce – Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
   

4. Throw in chopped chicken and pork , cook for about 15 minutes.

5. Finally add corn and lima beans . Continue cooking until for about 7-10 minutes or to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings and thickness of stew with broth .

6. Serve warm
   

How to Make Brunswick Stew

Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then add onions, garlic,thyme, saute for about 3-4 minutes until onions are wilted.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste , creole seasoning , and Worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth 

And add bbq sauce. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes.

Throw in chopped chicken and pork , cook for about 15 minutes.

Finally add corn and lima beans. Continue cooking until for about 7-10 minutes or to desired consistency.

Adjust seasonings and thickness of stew with broth. Serve warm.