Julie Andrew
Brunswick stew is a local favorite that can take up to two days to cook, but we don’t always have that much time. With a few shortcuts using ingredients from local experts, it can be a fairly quick and easy meal that feeds an army and freezes well. For example, I count on the talented crew at Southern Soul Barbeque for the pulled pork and brisket and get rotisserie chicken from the deli at the grocery store. Beyond that, this recipe should be altered to fit your taste. If you prefer a consistency that’s more like soup than stew, add chicken stock. Some people may prefer to substitute beef stock for chicken stock. If you don’t hate peas like I do, you may want to use them instead of lima beans. One thing that makes a huge difference is the BBQ sauce. My favorite is from Dreamland BBQ: a little spicy and not sweet. Southern Soul has different varieties ranging from thick and sweet to thin and spicy. Grab some when you pick up the meat. You can even mix a couple to get just the flavor you like.
Ingredients:
1 lb. pulled pork
½ lb. beef brisket
1 whole chicken, deboned
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp. butter
6 c. chicken broth
1 c. BBQ sauce
½ c. Worcestershire sauce
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 (15.25 oz.) cans lima beans, drained
2 (15.25 oz.) cans corn, drained
Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up salt, to taste
Preparation:
Chop onion and garlic, sauté in butter until onions are translucent. Add all ingredients except beans and corn and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, add beans and corn. Cook for a minimum of 20-30 minutes, until all veggies are heated through. The longer the stew simmers, the better the flavor. Serve with cornbread and hot sauce, of course! Enjoy!
TIDBIT
Stewing Controversy
One of the most entertaining stories surrounding Brunswick stew is the battle over who invented it. Of course, here, we claim that it originated in Brunswick, Georgia, and have mounted a stew pot monument that “proves” it. However, Brunswick County, Virginia, and Brunswick County, North Carolina, both have laid claim to the original recipe that mixed small game with a variety of vegetables as their own. The inscription on the stew pot here says it was used to cook the first batch of proper “Brunswick Stew” in July 2, 1898. In all actuality, it's likely that the savory concoction came long before either as Native Americans stirred the meat from their hunting and trapping and the vegetables and roots they gathered.
