Brunswick County, Virginia, and the town of Brunswick, Georgia, both claim to be the origin of Brunswick Stew. I had never heard of Brunswick Stew until a few years ago (and every winter since then) I heard my friend Joan say, “I made up a big pot of Brunswick Stew!”
A plaque on an old iron pot in Brunswick, Georgia, says the first Brunswick stew was made in it on July 2, 1898, on nearby St. Simons Island. A competing story claims a Virginia state legislator’s chef invented the recipe in 1828 on a hunting expedition. Some say it originated in Germany and since Joan’s husband is of German decent, I’m going with that! But then Joan is from Georgia … oh well, whoever, wherever Brunswick Stew came from I can tell you this – it is a hearty meal and fabulously delicious.
The first time I had made it I had some pulled pork leftover from a BBQ dinner party and decided to freeze it until suitably cool weather for stew. I used the smokey pulled pork and a recipe Jamie Deen shared on The Food Network. Since the pork was already cooked I simply placed all the ingredients in the Crock Pot, left it on low for 8 hours and wow did the house smell good come dinner time!
The second time I made it I used leftover pork from this recipe. One recipe I looked at called for 1 pound smoked pulled pork, 1/2 pound smoked pulled chicken, 1/2 pound smoked pulled turkey and
1 pound smoked chopped beef brisket. That is just too much “meat-gathering” for me!
The surprise in this stew is the BBQ saucy flavor that you don’t usually find in a soup or stew. Corn and lima beans really add to the depth of flavors. BTW – if you can’t stand lima beans (you know who you are) just leave them out and add more corn!
I served the stew with corn bread made in my waffle iron. That produces a crispy, tasty cornbread that is handheld! If you haven’t ever tried cornbread in a waffle iron you must give it a go!
Here’s to winter soup nights! Happy Stewing!
~Catherine
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
- One 15-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes (with their juices)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1½ cups barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ pounds smoked pulled pork
- 10 ounces frozen corn
- 10 ounces frozen baby lima beans
- Pinch salt and ground pepper
- Hot sauce, for serving
- Cornbread or soda crackers, for serving
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Once melted and foamy, add the garlic and onions and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, cayenne, smoked pork, lima beans, corn and a big pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook over medium-low until thick and ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="93" data-gr-id="93">stewey, about 1½ hours, stirring on occasion.*
- Serve with hot sauce, cornbread or soda crackers.
Recipe courtesy of Jamie Deen, The Food Network.