Brunswick stew may just be one of the best stew recipes of all time. Contrary to popular belief, this is more than some ordinary pork stew recipe. It’s almost like a smoky barbecue flavored blitz full of roasted chicken, succulent pulled pork and tender veggies. This stuff is so good you’ll get a bigger spoon – oh yeah!
It’s not the potato laden ground chuck you order at tourist attraction type eateries. This is the real deal, Holifield. You can add potatoes, but you won’t need to. This is the Brunswick stew recipe you’ll make for special occasions.
Check it out!
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What I Love About This Recipe
There’s so much to love about this intense Brunswick stew recipe it’s hard to narrow it down. I mean, who wouldn’t love a slightly sweet barbecue stew full of tender pulled pork and juicy roasted chicken?…..and that’s just for starters! Here are some other great reasons to love it.
- Layers of intensely delicious smoky barbecue flavor
- Oodles of nutritious veggies to fuel the body
- Lots of tender pulled pork and succulent roasted chicken
- Single pot Dutch oven preparation concentrates flavor and contains the mess
- Great for meal prep and pleasing large crowds
How To Make Brunswick Stew Recipe
Making awesome Brunswick stew is easier than you think, especially in the Dutch oven. Simply start off by sautéing your mock Mirepoix and slow-simmering your liquid seasonings.
Then add your pulled pork, roasted chicken, frozen veggies and simmer until thick. Voila! Thick sweet smoky Brunswick stew for the taking.
Recipe Notes
Part of the beauty of this Brunswick stew recipe is preparing it in a Dutch oven. This simple high-quality piece of kitchen equipment performs so many different tasks that can make your Brunswick stew Ah-ma-zing! BUT if you don’t have a Dutch oven you can use a deep soup pot made of heavier-gauge metal.
Be sure to sauté your garlic, onions, and celery until soft. I know everything’s going into the same pot, but it matters. Taking the time to sauté veggies before adding them to a dish brings out their sweeter more mellow side.
Also, if you prepare the pulled pork at home be sure to add any pan drippings to your Brunswick stew with the pork. It makes a huge difference!
Ingredient Notes
With the Brunswick stew origin dating back to ancient native Americans, its easy to understand the use of multiple types of meat. It started with a small game like rabbits and squirrels before its claim to fame in Brunswick, Georgia and Brunswick County, Virginia.
Now the type of meat varies depending on the version and geographical location. Here’s what you need for this tasty version.
Mock Mirepoix – Technically, a Mirepoix is onions, celery and carrots sautéed in butter. For this Brunswick stew recipe, we’re using garlic, onions, and celery – no carrots.
Liquid Seasonings – The list just looks long but its all simple kitchen staples. We’ll be using diced tomatoes with liquid, chicken broth, Worcester, liquid smoke, barbecue sauce, tabasco, and apple cider vinegar – oh yeah!
Better Than Bouillon – Chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon is a concentrated flavor paste that’s easy to measure and so much tastier than those salty cubes.
Dry Seasonings – A simple dash of the trusty old salt and pepper is adequate here. There’s enough flavor going on in this pot already.
Meat(s) – You’ll be using pulled pork and roasted chicken for this Brunswick stew recipe. If you make the pulled pork at home, then be sure to add the pan drippings too. It’s totally acceptable to pick up a rotisserie chicken here.
Frozen Veggies – Frozen corn and lima beans are a must-have. Plus, they mix nicely with the other veggies already in the pot.
Easy Brunswick stew from cans will never be the same after this – I’m tellin’ ya’!
Storing Tips
Your tantalizing Brunswick stew will keep just fine in an airtight container in the fridge. This is one of those awesome recipes where the flavor continues to develop as it sits, and the ingredients mingle. If you need space in the fridge, it’ll store well in gallon-sized Ziplocs as well.
Can You Freeze This?
Yes, you can! This Brunswick stew recipe is perfect for meal prep and it does just fine in the freezer. It’s always nice to have a homemade meal on standby ready to go. Just be sure to let your Brunswick stew cool completely before preparing it for the freezer.
Make Ahead Tips
Prepping isn’t just about throwing something in the freezer, I get it. There are a few things you can do to make things easier on yourself when you know you’re gonna’ be making Brunswick stew.
You can chop your onions, garlic, and celery ahead of time and store them together. The meat can also be pulled/shredded and stored until Brunswick stew time.
If you wanted to, you could technically pre-mix the liquid ingredients so they’re ready to go when you are. The frozen veggies can just stay frozen until you need them.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your Brunswick stew will taste incredible for up to 4 days in the fridge when stored properly. Be sure to let your stew cool completely and seal it properly before tossing it in the fridge.
When it comes out it’ll taste so good your eyes will roll into the back of your head as you savor the yummy flavor.
Recipe Variations
Changing up this Brunswick stew recipe is simple as long as you don’t go too far. You can add or subtract veggies or even change the flavor of your barbecue sauce. Simple recipe variations can make big flavor differences. Here are a few other popular suggestions.
Can I Turn This Into A Gumbo?
Turning this Brunswick stew recipe into a gumbo is an easy feat, depending on your taste. You can simply substitute green peppers for celery in your Mirepoix and increase your tabasco sauce. Of course, you’ll need to add some rice too.
For chicken and sausage gumbo, substitute sausage for pork. To make shrimp and sausage gumbo, you’ll need to substitute both types of meat. For traditional New Orleans style, you’ll probably need to add some okra and creole seasoning. New Orleans gumbo is made multiple ways but typically includes sausage and seafood.
Can I Turn This Into A Jambalaya?
Eating Brunswick stew can certainly warm you up on a cold winter’s day but sometimes you may not be in the mood for soup. This is when you totally increase the rice and veggies to make chicken and sausage jambalaya instead. You don’t have to use the chicken, either. Straight up sausage jambalaya is quite tasty.
Can I Add A South American Twist To This Recipe?
This bold robust Brunswick stew has roots firmly planted in American history, but you can take your taste buds on a tour of South American cuisine without much trouble. I love making Pozole with all the fresh veggie garnishes that just beg to be eaten. Travel a bit further south and you’ll find yourself in Feijoada territory!
Can I Make This Recipe With An Asian Twist?
Brunswick stew has a slightly sweet smoky flavor that is hard to beat but if you’re looking for that spicy Asian flair, you can make Menudo with a red chili pepper broth. When you need to tone down the spicy base, try Bicol express made with coconut milk and pork.
Can I Cook This In A Crockpot Instead?
Absolutely! Of course, it does take a bit longer. Making this awesome Brunswick stew in a crockpot means you’ll need to sauté your mock Mirepoix in a skillet before adding them. This still a very important step. While its hard to replicate the flavor from a Dutch oven, a slow simmer in a crockpot does pretty well.
Can I Omit The Pork?
Sure, you can make chicken Brunswick stew. BUT beware, the pork does add a TON of flavor and you may very well miss it. You can also just make pork Brunswick stew.
Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound pulled pork, shredded into bite size pieces and any pan drippings
- 1 roasted chicken, meat removed and shredded into bite size pieces
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 16 ounces frozen lima beans
Instructions
- In a large Dutch Oven set over medium heat, melt butter and saute onions, garlic, and celery until soft, about 4-5 minutes
- Add the diced tomatoes with their liquid, chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper then bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook over medium-low for 30 minutes.
- Add pulled pork, roasted chicken, frozen corn, frozen lima beans and adjust heat to bring stew back to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 30-45 minutes or until stew is nice and thick
Nutrition
Conclusion
Making Brunswick stew is a family tradition at my house. When the weather turns cold and its time for the family to visit from out of town, this is the recipe I pull out. It’s rich, wholesome and full of fall apart tender succulent meat.
There’s plenty of nutritious veggies to make you feel great about serving it and every scrumptious spoonful will send you into flavor coma you’ll fight to come out of. Plus, the recipe makes enough for everyone to have seconds – and they’ll definitely want seconds!
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