I love recipes that spring from practicality and this stew is a shining example of that. Most folks call this Brunswick Stew, some call it ….well I don’t know what all everyone calls it because it is around five o’clock in the morning and my coffee is still brewing so I’ll tell you the rest of my story and you can call it whatever cranks yer tractor because you got naming rights on anything you make in your own kitchen ~grins~.
At the first sign of chill in the air, BBQ joints around here start cranking out this delicious stew. It helps them use up any leftover shredded pork and chicken that they may have. By mixing in their signature bbq sauce (my No. 5 signature bbq sauce recipe is in my cookbook in case you need one) and whatever vegetables they have on hand they can turn out a flavorful and filling stew unlike any other.
So today I’m going to show you how simple this is to make in your own home. I’ll show you how I did it using what I had on hand but feel free to make this stew in the spirit it was created by modifying it to use whatever you have on hand at your house.
You’ll need: Bottle of BBQ Sauce (your preference), 2 cans whole kernel corn, onion, whole fryer, potatoes, and about two cups of vegetable or bean of your choice (I’m using frozen baby limas).
I’m just using chicken but you can use chicken, pork, whatever you have. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken if you like and just use canned broth. See how easy this is to modify?
Cover your chicken with water and add your onion. Cook it til it cries uncle, or at least stops putting up a fight.
My chicken looks funny because I stuck a wooden spoon right in the center of it to see if it was cooked so much that it would break apart. It did.
~grins~
Then remove chicken from broth. Let cool while you continue making the stew.
Here is our broth, all rich and wonderful. You don’t have to make your own, though. You are welcome to just stew some chicken breasts until done in canned broth if you like. If you go that route, I’d say you need about 32 ounces (four to five cups or so). Don’t stress over exact quantities, just eyeball it and trust your gut.
Trusting my gut has served me better than I could ever tell you. I’ll write about that one of these days.
Jedis would be jealous if they knew of my force!
To that broth that is left add two cans of drained whole kernel corn.
Whatever was on sale last time you got groceries would be fine because corn can’t read so it has no idea if it is a generic or name brand.
It all acts the same.
Peel and chop up your potatoes.
I did this to all of my potatoes but am just showing one here 🙂
I don’t even own a cutting board, I just use plates to chop on. If I had a cutting board, I’d lose it anyway.
I’m just all organized like that.
Add in your beans and/or other vegetables. I’m using frozen baby lima beans.
Awww, baby limas. Ever so much cuter than adult limas, doncha think?
God love ’em.
Now add in a whole bottle of bbq sauce.
I am using this kind because Dollar General had it when I sent my husband to buy some.
My favorite bbq sauce is the one I developed myself, Old No. 5, and the recipe for it is in my cookbook if you’d like the recipe and kind of funny story behind it.
I make it every few months in a big old batch and then can it. The thing is, I usually end up giving half of it away as gifts and the rest we eat right away on pork chops, chicken, etc, so I don’t have any on hand to show you today.
Oh, if you like your stew on the spicier side, use spicier bbq sauce.
Remove your chicken from the bone and shred it well. Add it back to the pot.
Find a cute kid to stir it up for ya.
In that fancy new pot that your Mama gave you for Christmas
Season with salt and pepper and simmer, stirring often, for about half an hour, or until veggies are done all the way
(I used those frozen limas so they need a full thirty minutes).
Enjoy! I love this stuff.
BBQ Joint Stew Ingredients- 1 bottle bbq sauce
- 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
- 1-2 cups baby lima beans (or whatever beans you want to use)
- 1 whole fryer
- 3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped (use more potatoes if you need stew to go further)
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste (I start with a teaspoon of each but always end up adding twice that!)
Instructions- Place fryer in stock pot and cover with water. Add chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for about an hour, or until fully done and fall apart tender. Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool. Add all other ingredients to stock and stir well. Debone and shred chicken and add back to pot. Add in Salt and Pepper. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to simmer, stirring often, for about half an hour or until vegetables are fully cooked. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed (I like a LOT of pepper in mine).
- *This is excellent with a bit of hot sauce.
- 1 bottle bbq sauce
- 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
- 1-2 cups baby lima beans (or whatever beans you want to use)
- 1 whole fryer
- 3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped (use more potatoes if you need stew to go further)
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste (I start with a teaspoon of each but always end up adding twice that!)
- Place fryer in stock pot and cover with water. Add chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for about an hour, or until fully done and fall apart tender. Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool. Add all other ingredients to stock and stir well. Debone and shred chicken and add back to pot. Add in Salt and Pepper. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to simmer, stirring often, for about half an hour or until vegetables are fully cooked. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed (I like a LOT of pepper in mine).
- *This is excellent with a bit of hot sauce.
A rich person is not one who has the most,
but one who needs the least.
Yum 
Yum! I haven’t had Brunswick Stew in ‘nigh on forever. I can’t wait to make some 🙂
It sure hit the spot during this snowy cold weather we are having. I hope you enjoy it!!
I will definitely be making this stew, it looks yummy!!! thank you again for yet another wonderful recipe. I’m so happy you are such a good sharer.
smooches, sista…
Thank you so much JoAnn! ~smooches~
Yum. Wish I wasn’t stuck at home from snow/ice without the ingredients for this, because I can almost smell it. When I read the title, I thought we were making things with joints from some animal! 🙂 Wasn’t sure I would like it!
~giggles~ I hope you are able to get out soon. I hope we can get out soon too!
What a great recipe for this cold weather! Love the fancy pot your Mama got you for Christmas!! ~waves Howdy to Mama Janice!~ It looks great with your purple sweater that you wore to the Asheville book signing!!
Hey debbie!! You always brighten my day! I’ll tell mama you said hi. We sure do miss you! How’s your brother?
Yum. I think I may need to see if we have the stuff to make your sauce because I don’t have enough KC in the fridge to make a batch. This looks delish.
I hope you find the ingredients! It is good and I think the weather has made it even better.
I love brunswick stew and this sounds delicious. Perfect for the snowy weather we’re having.
Those were my thoughts exactly!
Christy, the stew looks scrumptious, and I love the new pot your mama gave you for Christmas! Enjoy cooking in it and the New Year.
Pam
Thank you so much Pam!! I hope you are enjoying the New Year as well!!
I love your fancy new pot! That is so cute! I don’t thin k I have ever seen one shaped quite like that before so you’ll have to tell us more about it later. (I try not to look at kitchen stuff too much because I will just want to buy it and then I have to store it somewhere and/or give away perfectly good stuff that it would replace and that causes marital discord. ;-P)
I will have to tell you about it soon. It is my favorite new pot!
Hey Christy! I love your cookbook. We are getting ready to build and will be putting the majority of our household into a storage unit. I have however kept out your cookbook. I don’t know how I can do without it for 5 months. I can’t wait to try this recipe as well. I am dying to know what’s the deal with that awesome new pot that your momma gave you for Christmas. I love it!
Just dug through the cabinet and found some mixed veggies and green beans and corn. Chicken breasts thawing in water. Sounds like we are having this for lunch!!
Yummy! Gonna be a great lunch!
I’ll have to make this soon. The weather is perfect right now! That’s a stylin’ pot! I have a smallish stockpot and a gigantic stockpot. I always try to use the smallish one so it will fit in my fridge, but it always winds up overflowing by the time I finish adding everything in my recipe!
I know that feeling all too well Sonya!
I made this yesterday afternoon! It is really good! It turned out to be a great way to use up stuff I had lying around the cabinets, refrigerator, and deep freeze. I didn’t have to buy anything special for it! The only thing I did different was throw in a can of tomatoes and okra that I wanted to get rid of because it had been in my pantry forever! It required the big stockpot, but, fortunately, I had the sense to realize that ahead of time!
I initially recoiled at the name Brunswick Stew as I associate that with being rabbit or squirrel based. Your chicken version looks great. I then got to thinking that maybe I was on ht ewrong track with thinking game so I did a quick online research and found that it was originally rabbit and squirrel and apparently a bit of a debate exists as to whether it was first made in Virginia or Georgia. I find food origins to be a fascinating subject so I had a bit of cultural stimulation this morning. LOL. I would rather have a bit of the BBQ Stew!
WOW, I didn’t know that. Thank you so much for sharing a bit of a history lesson with us!
Have to change it some, my wife wont eat corn or green peas. She will eat cornbread tho. LOL
That is what is so great about this recipe, you can change it up to however you see fit!
If I didn’t have your crock pot meatloaf in the cooker I might just have made this today……Snowing like crazy here in NC and this is perfect Brunswick stew or “BBQ joint” stew. Thinking this will be really good tomorrow!!! Stay bundled up, warm and cozy. Happy Snow Day!
You stay warm too Rita!!
This kind of reminds me of Brunswick stew. I love lima beans, thanks for sharing 🙂
It is a lot like Brunswick stew, just a few differences.
SOUNDS SO GOOD ON A SNOWY DAY LIKE WE”RE HAVING TODAY IN THE STATE OF SC.
Stay warm Barbara!!
It is snowing as I type!!!! My mom made snow cream this morning. A friend made a batch of Brunswick stew yesterday. She gave me some, it was sooo good!!!! I just called and got her recipe. Her recipe calls for 2 chickens and 2 pork tenderloins. Thanks for posting your recipe!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I hope you enjoy! Wasn’t the snow cream wonderful??
Oooh yummy! I was looking at your chicken stew yesterday and thinking wow, that looks alot like Brunswick stew. Now, just to decide which of the two to fix today while waiting for the snow/ice in central NC!
I’m sure this recipe is good and I will try it, but I would vote for the Chicken Stew, it is absolutely fantastic, best stew you every put into your mouth!! Bar none!!!
Thank you Sandy!!
Bundle up and stay warm!!
Christy, I haven’t seen anything from Bill Gent on here in a long while. Is he okay?
I’m fine Miz Janice. Been battling pneumonia or something equally nasty for a month or more. The Texas weather gets a burr in its saddle and becomes indecisive. When it can go from 80 degrees to 25 in the span of a few hours, it always takes it’s toll on me. Thank you for asking!
I hope you feel better soon!
I can vouch for the TX weather Mr Gent! I’m living down here on the gulf coast near Houston and it is miserably cold today. I guess the folks in the north wouldnt think so but for this southern girl(born and raised in Mobile AL.) it is colder than a witch’s nose!!
He is good, has been a little under the weather lately is all.
Thanks for the easy recipe that we will be making very soon. It is cold up here in Virginia! We had “Brunswick Stew” growing up in North Carolina. The Fire Department near my Grandmother’s house would make this incredible treat once a year in a huge vat, and we just loved it. The taste just couldn’t be beat! This version, I am sure, was made with chicken. I didn’t know until many, many years later that my Daddy didn’t like Brunswick Stew like the rest of us did. He said that it used to be made with squirrel, and he just never could get over the idea (and he born and raised in the country)!
In North Carolina, Brunswick Stew is often served with NC Barbecue, Slaw and Hushpuppies~~talk about a feast!! And if y’all are ever in Durham, stop by Bullock’s Barbecue just off of Hillsborough Rd. You will love the food and the walls filled with autographed photos of celebrities of every variety.
Have a great week everyone!
I will have to remember that if we are ever in Durham!! Thanks for the tip!
Luv ya’ll Christy! Do tell us more about that fabulous pot your mama gave you! We want details (make/model and where to buy it etc.) Looks beautiful! Happy New Year. Being a southurn gurl from Atlanta (Marietta to be exact) I love reading your blog. You are spot on with the southern recipes and all that goes along with them. It’s a fine heritage and thank you so much for keepin’ it alive! Always brings back precious memories!
Hey! I just love my pot! It is shaped kinda like a pumpkin, with a big old potbelly. I used one like it when I did my live cooking show at UNA and remarked about how much I loved it on stage. Mama took note and surprised me! The brand is “Biltmore” and I am pretty sure there is some tie in with the Biltmore estate. It came from Belk’s and cost around fifty dollars – EEK! I think its worth it but i’d never spend that on myself. I dearly love it though!
Gotta love Belk… and if you watch it long enough they usually put things on sale… and when they have a sale, they have a SALE! I regularly go “visit” things on my wish list there.. hehe
What a great cold weather recipe and believe me it’s cold, even down here in the South with snow and ice on the ground… now f I can just talk my husband into going to the market to get the ingredients for this stew! Perfect to go along with the country French bread I made yesterday!
Yummy!!! THat will make a great pairing!
Love your new pot Christy. I have never had a soup like this before. I am getting really excited to make some new soup recipes. This one is going on the list.
I hope ya’ll are staying warm!! Is this weather not crazy?
Anybody know how many servings this makes?
It would depend on the size of the servings, but I would expect 8-10 med size bowls of it 🙂
Thanks for answering Nicole! That would be about right. And it does all depend on what size bowls you use.
Oh yum! We used to live up the street from Ms Myra’s BBQ in Cahaba Heights AL and this was our favorite thing to eat there, even more than their awesome BBQ with white sauce! 🙂 Theirs had okra in it so I always try to add okra and usually tomatoes too!
Ohh, yummy!!!
Looks great! If we weren’t “iced in” I’d be on my way to Publix right now. I have everything but the chicken. That’s one thing I love about your recipes – you use things that most people have on hand already, or can easily get. Love the picture of your son helping out!
Thank you Cindy! I hope ya’ll are staying warm in this crazy weather!!
Thanks! I like this stew too. I’ve had it at two different bbq joints and liked it both times. I ‘d never heard of it thought ’til we moved to Alabama. isn’t this snow wonderful.
Hey Christy, I just wanted to tell you that I’ve already used your cookbook so much I’ve got dirty pages!!
Simmering on the stove…yummy in the tummy for lunch on this snowy day in Alabama!!
If I didn’t already have a big old pot of 15 bean soup in the fridge tonight to be warmed up for dinner I would be making this in a heart beat. This might have to be tomorrow night dinner. Looks really good.
If you ever heard what was in the original recipe I had for Brunswick Stew, you probably wouldn’t eat it. Folks in Kentucky called it Burgoo. It had 6 meats in it including beef, pork, chicken, and 3 wild ones. Had a bowl of the original kind a year or so ago at a Wild Game dinner, not sure about the coon?!
Not sure I could eat it with Coon in it, but today’s version sure is good!