Black Pot Brunswick Stew

Brunswick stew is a hearty, savoury dish that is loaded with flavour. It is a Southern classic that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years and typically includes meat and vegetables. The recipe varies depending on the region, with some versions containing chicken, pork, beef, or other wild game. It is often served with cornbread or crusty bread and enjoyed as a comforting meal during colder months.

Prep your ingredients

Preparing the ingredients for Brunswick stew is simple, but it does take a little time. Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started:

First, gather your ingredients. For a traditional Brunswick stew, you'll need a variety of meats, vegetables, and seasonings. The exact ingredients can vary, but here's a general list:

• Meats: Pulled pork, shredded chicken, beef, or other meats like rabbit or squirrel. You can use leftover meats or cook them specifically for the stew.
• Vegetables: Onions, celery, green bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, butter beans or lima beans, potatoes, okra, and peas are commonly used. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables, depending on what's available.
• Seasonings and sauces: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and vinegar add flavour and tanginess to the stew.

Once you have your ingredients, here's how to prep them:

• Chop and dice: Cut up your vegetables into small pieces. For the meats, shred or chop them into bite-sized pieces. This will make it easier to eat and ensure that the flavours blend well.
• Sauté: To enhance the flavour of your vegetables, you can sauté them before adding them to the stew. Heat some oil in a pan and cook the onions and celery until they're translucent. You can also sauté the potatoes separately with some butter, salt, and pepper to give them a tasty coating.
• Season: As you prepare your vegetables and meats, don't forget to season them. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if you want a spicier stew, you can add more hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
• Marinate: If you're using raw meats, you can marinate them before adding them to the stew. A simple marinade of barbecue sauce, ketchup, and vinegar can give your meats a tangy, smoky flavour. Let the meats soak in the marinade for a few hours or overnight for maximum flavour.

Remember, the beauty of Brunswick stew is that you can customise it to your taste. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and seasonings to make it your own!

Cook the meats

To cook the meats for your Brunswick stew, you'll need a combination of chicken and pork. You can use a whole chicken or chicken breasts, and for the pork, you can use a pork tenderloin, pork loin roast, or leftover pulled pork. You'll want to cook the meats separately before adding them to the stew.

First, place the meats in the bottom of your black pot or a slow cooker. If you're using a slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients, give everything a good stir, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

If you're using a black pot on the stove, add water to the pot along with the meats and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the meats are cooked through and tender. This should take around 1-2 hours.

Once the meats are cooked, remove them from the pot and set them aside to cool. When they're cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the meat or chop it with a knife. Return the shredded meat to the pot, and continue with the rest of the recipe.

Add the vegetables

Now it's time to add the vegetables to the black pot. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables, depending on your preference and what's available. Here are some options:

• Onions: Chop one large red onion and add it to the pot.
• Garlic: Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and toss them in.
• Potatoes: Peel and dice 2-3 medium-sized russet potatoes and add them to the mix.
• Peas and Carrots: Include 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas and carrots for some extra colour and flavour.
• Okra: If you're a fan of okra, add 1 1/2 cups of frozen okra to the stew.
• Lima Beans: Use either frozen or dry lima beans. If you're using dry lima beans, remember to soak them overnight before adding them to the stew. You'll need about 2 cups.
• Corn: Frozen, creamed, or canned corn can be added—around 1-2 cups should be plenty.
• Bell Peppers: Dice a green bell pepper and throw it into the mix.
• Butter Beans: Also known as baby lima beans, these add a lovely creamy texture to the stew.
• Tomatoes: One large can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice will add a nice tangy flavour.

Feel free to mix and match the vegetables according to your taste and what's in season. You can also add other vegetables like celery, green beans, or even okra if you're feeling adventurous. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly, as some vegetables may take longer to cook than others.

Once you've added all the vegetables, give everything a good stir to combine all the flavours. Then, let the stew simmer away, filling your kitchen with delicious aromas.

Tips for Preparing the Vegetables:

• If you're using fresh vegetables, chop them into uniform sizes so they cook evenly.
• For frozen vegetables, you can add them directly to the pot, but be sure to thaw them first if they're in large chunks.
• Canned vegetables should be drained before adding them to the stew, especially if you're using creamed corn.
• You can also sauté or roast some of the vegetables, like onions and potatoes, before adding them to the pot to enhance their flavour.
• Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of potatoes, like sweet potatoes or Yukon Gold.
• If you're short on time, you can use pre-chopped frozen vegetables, which can save you some prep work.

Simmer

Now that you've gathered and prepared your ingredients, it's time to start cooking!

Place the ham bone in a large cooking pot or Dutch oven with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

If there was any usable cooked meat on the bone, remove it and return it to the broth in the pan. Discard the ham bone.

If you don’t happen to have a ham bone readily available, check to see if there’s a HoneyBaked Ham store near you. They’ll gladly sell you a ham bone. Also, lots of grocery stores have them if you just ask the butcher.

Add the chicken to the pot along with the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, celery, onions, and peppercorns. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender – approximately 1 ½ hours.

When the chicken is tender, set it aside until it’s cool enough to handle.

Remove and discard the bones and skin from the chicken. Finely shred the chicken meat and return it to the broth.

Add the onion, butterbeans (baby lima beans), corn, potatoes, diced tomatoes, barbecue sauce, catsup, salt, and red pepper flakes, if using. If needed, add more water to make a thick soupy stew.

Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender.

Serving

In my part of the south, Brunswick Stew is always served as a side dish for barbecued chicken or pork, along with baked beans and potato salad. I’m quite sure I’ve never known anyone who served it on its own as a main course. But if that takes your fancy, go ahead and dish some up in a big bowl with saltine crackers or freshly baked cornbread on the side.

Serve with cornbread

Cornbread is a classic side dish to serve with Brunswick stew. You can serve it alongside other Southern dishes like coleslaw and Southern fried apples, or keep it simple and pair it with a fresh green salad.

If you want to make a heartier meal, you can even incorporate cornbread into your Brunswick stew. Try making a Brunswick stew cornbread pie by preparing the stew in a Dutch oven, then topping it with a cornbread batter and baking it in the oven.

• Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
• Classic Dinner Rolls
• Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
• Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread
• Skillet Cornbread
• Honey Cornbread
• Brown Sugar Sweet Cornbread Muffins
• Corn Muffins

Frequently asked questions