# I love Brunswick Stew - hope you enjoy



## jaxrmrjmr (Feb 23, 2014)

Well, I love Brunswick Stew!!! There is a very certain and distinct flavor that represents Brunswick Stew to me. However, everywhere I get it now, it tastes like vegetable soup in beef and/or pork stock - very watery with a little bit of meat here and there. When I was younger, I would go buy a qt of stew and a sleeve of saltines, then I was good for two meals.  After that, it slowly became watered down and more like a soup.  So, six or seven years ago I set out to make my own.  I think I have it where I want it.  It's basically a compilation of the many recipes I read (that sounds good or I'll leave that out). With the rough measurement in my head I started. Don't let the ingredient list scare you - it's pretty basic. This has become a big hit with friends and family.  More luck than skill but here is what I came up with and it's darn good.......

Strange Brunswick Stew

1 stick of butter

3-4 cups of diced onions (I like the stronger onions for this vs sweet onions)

1 cup of diced bell pepper ( I like more, the wife likes it how it is)

4 cloves of garlic - smashed

5-6 lbs whole chicken either smoked or roasted, then shredded

3-4 lbs. of pulled pork

2 -3 lbs. of beef (browned and drained ground beef or shredded roast)

6 cups of broth (I usually use a mix of chicken and beef) (more or less depending on the desired thickness)

2 oz Worcestershire sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 lbs. fresh or frozen english peas - but NOT canned

1 lbs. fresh or frozen whole kernel corn - but NOT canned

1 "chub" of frozen creamed corn (yes, it makes a difference)

1 1/2 cups of ketchup

1/2 cup yellow mustard

1/2 - 3/4 cup red, sweet BBQ sauce

3 cans of diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted, but it's non-traditional)

2 oz liquid smoke (more or less, depending on your taste)

Hot sauce according to taste - I use my homemade Datil Pepper sauce, but for a more traditional taste I would use a few oz of Franks or Louisiana and go from there.

6-7 small potatoes cut into small cubes - about the size of a baseball or smaller (I like using a waxy potato so that it doesn't break down as easy)

Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe makes a little over 2 gallons of finished stew, so pick your pot accordingly.

Melt the stick of butter in your stock pot. Add onions and bell pepper cooking until tender adding the garlic at the end. Add the rest of the ingredients down to, and including, the hot sauce. Cook this for a few hours at least. Low and slow, but be careful of letting the bottom scorch as there are quite a few sugars in it. When the stew has come together and the corn is tender, add the potatoes. Cook for another hour or so as they will breakdown if you add them too early.

This is like spaghetti sauce or chili.....it's usually better the next day.


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## blat (Feb 24, 2014)

WOW

10-13 LBS OF MEAT,

and I thought I was making mine hearty.

I am an new convert to brunswick stew and am simply obsessed with it.

I am going to give yours a try you have several different flavors than what I use...

I use cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes but have not added tomato paste or ketchup

I only use frozen whole kernel corn and towards the end I will stir in some heavy cream instead of using creamed corn, lima beans instead of english peas and no potatoes or green peppers

Smoke all of my meat so do not use liquid smoke, I have never liked liquid smoke so will leave that out.

finally, I also add soflaq's finishing sauce (minus the brown sugar) in addition to the sweet bbq sauce.


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## raastros2 (Feb 24, 2014)

inspiration!


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## jaxrmrjmr (Feb 24, 2014)

blat said:


> WOW
> 
> 10-13 LBS OF MEAT,
> 
> ...


The chicken is a 5 lbs whole bird before being smoked and shredded.  I figure it might be 3 lbs of chicken when it's added.

I should have noted that the liquid smoke is in case you used roasted meat instead of smoked.

You have some interesting substitutions there.  Flavors may be a little different, but looks like the same basic elements.  Let me know what you think.


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## blat (Feb 25, 2014)

Kinda like the searching for the perfect margarita, always seem to be tweaking.

So far have made about 6 batches of stew, all slightly different. Looking forward to give yours a try.


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## mdboatbum (Feb 25, 2014)

Nice thing about Brunswick Stew is the total lack of any real traditional recipe. I believe the only specified ingredient is the pot.  Like Gumbo,  it's meant to utilize what's at hand and feed hungry people. Having spent a fair amount of time in Southern VA as well as Southeast GA, I guess I should be a fan of the stuff, but I've never really developed a taste for it. Lived in Kentucky and not a Burgoo fan either. Go figure :)


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## foamheart (Feb 25, 2014)

Mdboatbum said:


> Nice thing about Brunswick Stew is the total lack of any real traditional recipe. I believe the only specified ingredient is the pot.  Like Gumbo,  it's meant to utilize what's at hand and feed hungry people. Having spent a fair amount of time in Southern VA as well as Southeast GA, I guess I should be a fan of the stuff, but I've never really developed a taste for it. Lived in Kentucky and not a Burgoo fan either. Go figure :)


You know that NC, SC, Georgia all make it differently and of course claim theirs to be the only real Brunswick stew. Only real common thread in theirs is the corn and butter beans. Then there is with or without game, or tomatoes, etc.....

When I was a kid I was told the story of "Rock Soup". Basically like Brunswick stew it was all about one large communal pot of food which everyone contributed to and everyone takes home the left overs and it all started with three large smooth rocks.

Brunswick stew has to be in the top 10 comfort foods.


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## snorkelinggirl (Feb 25, 2014)

Hi Jax,

How funny, I was just thinking about Brunswick Stew in conjunction with another post that was asking about a favorite childhood recipe that we strive to replicate.  I grew up in North Georgia, and Brunswick Stew from the Old Hickory House was a special treat that we all looked forward to.  I've tried a few different recipes, but none match the taste or texture I remember from growing up.  I'll be book-marking your recipe and looking forward to a nice quiet weekend where I can try it out.

Only thing is, where is the squirrel is your recipe?   LOL

Just kidding, but someday I do want to see what Brunswick Stew with squirrel tastes like.  I doubt the Old Hickory House used it, unless it was a tight month.

Thanks for sharing your recipe, I look forward to trying it out.  And, please post some pictures of your recipe next time you make it!!

Clarissa


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## disco (Feb 25, 2014)

I really appreciate you posting this recipe. It looks like one I will have to try. It is quite different from mine which is only ok so I am looking forward to trying yours.

Disco


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## bigwheel (Feb 26, 2014)

Sure do look good. Thanks a lot for the recipe. Me and a pal used to snag a bowl or two of the store bought variant at a local chain joint called Red White and Blues. Seemed to be comprised of all types of leftover bbq in a beefy tomato base. Not authentic surely..but could warm a person up in cold weather. They also have sweet cornbread which is enough to drive anybody crazy huh?


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## jaxrmrjmr (Feb 26, 2014)

Yeah, I'd love some feedback and I hope you guys enjoy it.

It's one of those recipes that was on a folded up piece of paper with cross outs and tons of notes which started with the first time I made it.  I have currently been typing some of my handwritten recipes up as the oldest son is in the Army and stationed in Anchorage.  He asked for recipes from time to time and I have to stop and type them up so they are legible and he can understand all my scribbles.


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## jaxrmrjmr (Feb 26, 2014)

I would add butter beans as well, but one of the kids has "mental issues" with them.  She'll eat full sized white lima's but won't touch a butter bean.

I remember the rock soup story as well, Foamheart.


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## foamheart (Feb 26, 2014)

JaxRmrJmr said:


> I would add butter beans as well, but one of the kids has "mental issues" with them.  She'll eat full sized white lima's but won't touch a butter bean.
> 
> I remember the rock soup story as well, Foamheart.


Its a classic! You know, I never knew my Pop has that same thing about limas as well as butter beans. I just feel sorry for people who don't like good food.


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## hickorybutt (Feb 26, 2014)

Brunswick stew...  one of my favorite sides with BBQ.  I believe a good Brunswick stew can set apart one BBQ joint from another (obviously outside of quality of smoked meat).


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## chestnutbloom (Feb 26, 2014)

I remember hearing about "stone soup" from my grandma in the '70s when I was just a kid. I thought she was crazy until much later in life!


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## blat (Mar 4, 2014)

OK Jax,

Went home at lunch and put a chuckie in the smoker with Hickory and Maple, gonna give your recipe a try tonight if I can stay out of the Whiskey, or at least not to deep into it.

Will have Q view when I give it a try

blat


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## jaxrmrjmr (Mar 4, 2014)

blat said:


> OK Jax,
> 
> Went home at lunch and put a chuckie in the smoker with Hickory and Maple, gonna give your recipe a try tonight if I can stay out of the Whiskey, or at least not to deep into it.
> 
> ...


Very good!  Keep me posted.


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## jaxrmrjmr (Mar 8, 2014)

blat said:


> OK Jax,
> 
> Went home at lunch and put a chuckie in the smoker with Hickory and Maple, gonna give your recipe a try tonight if I can stay out of the Whiskey, or at least not to deep into it.
> 
> ...


So, what did ya think?


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## blat (Mar 10, 2014)

Hey Jax,

Will get something posted with a few pics soon as I get a chance, served about half of it to a gathering of about 15 people who ate it till it was GONE!!!!  then fixed the other half and they ate it till it was almost gone.  The stew was just going to be the appetizer. They left half of my pulled pork laying there and asked for more stew.

Blat


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## hambone1950 (Mar 10, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> Its a classic! You know, I never knew my Pop has that same thing about limas as well as butter beans. I just feel sorry for people who don't like good food.



You know , my late father in law (god rest his soul) would eat absolutely ANYTHING......except Lima beans. He said he ate so many of them in the army in WW2  that he swore he would never eat another.....and he never did.


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## two-eyes-up (Mar 10, 2014)

hey Jax,my brunswick  stew is very much like yours.years ago (60) or so my parents used squirrls,rabbits coons,deer and chickens.I cook mine in a 21 qt. pot with 3 lbs each or chicken,beef ,and pork for this size pot.with 16-17 quarts of stew after it coots down.I use a small boat ore to stir and its ready when the ore stands on its on  without falling over. (low &slow )3-4 hours.

charles t.


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## blat (Mar 10, 2014)

Jax,

Ok so i go home and get a chuckie started and 4 hours later.

I chop the chuckie and get my other ingredients together













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Into the pool they go













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So as I was completing the process i found my potatos were now ready for planting but not so much for my stew so that got left out.  I also only used PP and beef.

There were several things i like better about your recipe than mine and a couple i did not like.

Likes

1) like the tomato paste and catsup think they add a thickening component mine lacks
2) same with the cream corn, whether or not the cream corn vs me adding regular frozen corn and heavy cream is a difference maker yours is definitely thicker. Some experimination is in order here.  My inclination (because i dont like to be wrong) is that frozen corn and fresh heavy cream should be better than using the cream corn chub.
3) love adding the green peppers a real difference maker on taste that i love
4) same with the red onion vs me normally using a sweet onion.  I need to get out of the habit of using sweet onions in everrrrything!

Now for the dislikes

1) i used about half lima beans and half peas, my guests loved having both in the stew, personally i would rather omit the peas, not sure how this one turns out in the end (again dont like being wrong)
2) my biggest complaint IT WAS TO SMOOTH!!!!! I cooked this on a tuesday night and had a bowl Wednesday night.  After eating i added half a cup of apple cidar vinegar. To me it needed this bite.

Now for a question, as i mentioned from my post earlier today i served this to about 15 guests, one of whom was from south ga. And he said this was like a ga brunswick stew???? Any one have thoughts on regional differences?


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## jaxrmrjmr (Mar 10, 2014)

Very cool, Blat.  Thanks for sharing and even taking the time for some q-view.  Glad your guests enjoyed it as well.

The potatoes add more volume than they do flavor, but I would suggest sticking with them.

I'll have to try using cream instead of creamed corn.  As well as thickening, I like the fresh taste of the frozen corn.

I ran across the same issue with sweet onions a couple of years ago.  My wife and I both love them and started using them almost exclusively.  Then one day my uncle was cooking something with regular white spanish onion and it hit me that I had been missing something in a lot of recipes by only using sweets.

I grew up with butter beans being used and don't have anything against them. 

I will try the vinegar.  That sounds good.

I would have to agree with your guest that said it was like a south GA brunswick stew as I am from Dothan, AL (about 30 minutes west of GA and 20 minutes north of FL) - pretty much the same regional thing going on in the flavor profile.

Hey, I'm very glad you tried it and that it was successful.


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## hoosiersmoke (Apr 7, 2014)

I always make mine with squirrel, you cant beat it!


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