Brunswick Stew Recipe
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Brunswick Stew is an iconic dish here in the south. One that you just don’t want to mess up when you make it. Folks know good Brunswick Stew when they see it and there’s no messing around with something like that.
Of course, I make my Brunswick Stew using a couple of different cooking methods. The one I use the most is to use leftover shredded beef, shredded chicken or pulled pork from leftover pork roast that I’ve cooked earlier in the week. By using all of those ingredients, I can generally have Brunswick Stew cooked and ready in hardly anytime at all – just in time for the big game or whatever else we have going on.
The other method I use fairly often is in my slow cooker. For that, I cook all of the meat and other ingredients in the slow cooker so I like to cook it low and slow. I’ll have to share those measurements and cooking times with you another time. I’ve made it so often, but never actually wrote down the exact steps in making it that way so I need to make a big batch of slow cooker Brunswick Stew just for you guys so that I can test it. You know, there’s never a bad reason to make Brunswick Stew but that might just be about the best reason I’ve had!
You can serve your Brunswick Stew alongside more pulled pork from the pork roast or even along with chicken you’ve roasted, or you know, it works perfectly well just right by itself. However, if you’ve ever been to a church or high school fundraiser in my neck of the woods, you know that menu is generally: Pulled Pork, Texas Toast, Slaw, Brunswick Stew, and then a big slice of Pound Cake. I generally like it when I can finagle a slice of Lemon Pound Cake to be exact. It just seems to balance out all of the other goodness on my plate! Heh!
So, why not plan your very own little social using that menu. I might just take that idea and run with it myself. It sounds like a good one to me.
Here’s my family’s favorite recipe for Brunswick Stew. It is sure to become one of your favorites, too!
Brunswick Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 3 cups pulled pork, from pork roast recipe
- 3 cups shredded beef
- 2 cups beef stock, or broth
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 medium red potatoes, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can Lima beans
- 4 cups cream style white corn
- 1 (24-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Stone House Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add shredded chicken, pulled pork, and shredded beef – or mixture thereof – to a large, heavy-bottomed stew pot over medium-low heat. Add beef stock, onion, potatoes, beans, corn, diced tomatoes, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Stone House seasoning and cayenne pepper to the meats.
- Simmer over medium-low heat until thoroughly heated and all flavors have had time to combine, about 30 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Is there supposed to be 3 cups total meat or 3 cups of each kind of meat (3 of chicken, 3 of beef, and 3 of pork)?
Depend on how thick you prefer it. If your family is heavy meat eaters go all in with more meat, but at least 1 cup of each is average. I also put potatoes in mine. You can also use ground beef instead of shredded. The key is smoky pork and if possible smoked chicken. I usually stop by my local barbecue place and get a pound of each already shredded and seasoned.
The fun thing about this Southern comfort stew is basically it’s your way of getting rid of leftovers, so be creative add what you want to the pot. The key is smokey meat, barbecue sauce, Worcester sauce and brown sugar (Lot of time already in the barbecue sauce, if ever too sweet, used a little vinegar to balance it).
I pair my stew up with hush-puppies. Bake a vanilla pound cake and top slices with strawberries and whipped cream.
Our local BBQ joint serves this. It has the flavor of their house made BBQ sauce. I added 3 cups of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce to this and loved it. Next time I may even add a little liquid smoke to give it a smokey flavor. Great recipe!
Thanks so much, Jay. Glad you enjoyed it!
there is only one way to make Brunswick stew, that is to get the Bear Grass Fire Department make it, then go buy you a gallon or two. Only dish I need to wash is my spoon.
I’m definitely going to try this out. Sounds like a recipe my family would love. Do you just use lima beans? Have you ever used any other variety?
I’ve just used the limas in this recipe.
I’ve been looking for a good Brunswick Stew recipe that was also easy to prepare. I would love to get your slow cooker version. I didn’t see it on your site. Did I overlook it?
I am wondering if I should drain the butter beans? Also, could I use regular can corn in lieu of cream style? We don’t like the cream style corn. I think I should drain the corn too. Do I have to include beef or could I just use chicken and pork butt.
I would drain the beans and the corn, if using regular whole kernel corn. You can use any of the meats you prefer!
I am from Alabama and years ago the school I went to had a barbecue every year . The men would stay up all night cooking barbecue and making pots of brunswick stew. It was so good but I have yet been able to find a match for the recipe.
Did you ever get around to sharing the recipe for using the slow cooker, if you don’t already have those meats on hand? Wasn’t sure if I missed it… 🙂
I’ve been making Brunswick Stew for years and have never added any brown sugar. I use pork, beef and chicken all cooked and boned. Add canned tomatoes, lima beans, green beans, white corn, onion, potatoes and a little salt and a heaping tablespoon of peppercorns. The peppercorns soften when cooked. My family loves them – kind of a robust bite! It freezes good as I make a huge amount and eat it for several months.
Sounds delicious! I love hearing how everyone’s brunswick stew recipes and stories are different! So neat.
Never had beef in Brunswick Stew.
Being a native Virginian the original from Brunswick County,Virginia (not Brunswick Georgia)
Had squirrel and rabbit. But always pork, chicken and butter beans.