Brunswick Stew
Rich and meaty Brunswick stew is a true Southern classic. This streamlined rendition of my mom’s perfect version makes a huge amount of food—but to my thinking, that’s the point of stew. It tastes even better the next day, so it’s a great make-ahead meal if you are planning to have weekend visitors or feed a big crowd. You can also pop some in the freezer for a quick-fix weeknight supper another time.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 5 1/2 to 6 quarts/ serves 16 to 20
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the chicken and remove any excess fat. Place the chicken and 2 of the bay leaves in a large soup or stockpot and cover with the cold water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and bring to a low boil. Add the vegetable trimmings as you prep the vegetables. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, skimming the top of the broth as needed, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the tip of a small knife.
Step 2
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discarding the bay leaves and vegetable trimmings. Skim and discard the fat from the top of the broth with a large spoon.
Step 3
When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones.
Step 4
Place the olive oil and butter in the same pot and heat over medium heat until the butter is sizzling hot (see Know-how, page 100). Season the stew meat and pork butt with salt and black pepper to taste, add to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown all over, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Step 5
Place the onions in the same pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook and stir for about 10 minutes, until soft and light brown. Add the celery and carrots and cook and stir for 5 minutes more. Add the reserved broth, the remaining bay leaves, the beef, pork, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Step 6
Add the chicken and potatoes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes longer, until the stew meat is very tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the corn and butter beans and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the beans are tender. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve hot with hot sauce on the side to give it a kick.
On the Side
Step 7
Celebrate Labor Day or the Fourth of July in high Southern style by serving Brunswick Stew with Crispy Crusty Jalapeño Cornbread Sticks (page 58) or Squash Puppies (page 65) and Watermelon-Tomato Salad with Shaved Feta and Handfuls of Mint (page 270). Don’t forget the Mint Juleps (page 27) and Meyer Lemonade (page 27)!
Chew on this: About Brunswick Stew
Step 8
With Brunswick, Georgia, and Brunswick County, Virginia, laying competing claims, the exact origins of Brunswick stew remain a mystery, but it hardly matters—either way, the stew is a staple of Southern cuisine. It can be found year-round in restaurants—barbecue joints, mainly—but it’s traditionally served on Labor Day, the start of hunting season, as a way to clean last year’s meat out of the freezer. Consequently, this vegetable-based stew is made using every kind of meat you could possibly think of—and some you might not want to think of—including chicken, pork, beef, rabbit, and squirrel.
