Brunswick stew has become a bit of a catch-all southern stew recipe.
First, to be truly authentic, I would have to cook with squirrel or rabbit depending of course, if I was in Brunswick County, Virginia or Brunswick, Georgia. Since we currently live in Virginia, we’ll assume the original pot of stew was made in 1828 by a camp chef working for a Virginia legislator while on a hunting expedition. That legend gives this stew some serious southern charm and roots. I do realize Georgia is pretty far south, but Virginia “is the South,” just ask anybody born here!
No matter where you’re from, Brunswick stew will probably be a tomato based stew containing lima beans, okra, corn and other vegetables, plus various types of smoked meats. So now you ask, “what kind of meat did I use?” Sorry, no rabbit in this pot today. I used smoked chicken and pork and was extremely pleased with this thick, smokey, hearty, scrumptious stew. The only thing to make it better would be a slab of warm crusty cornbread to sop up the broth.
I made this stew last weekend while camping in the Shenandoah Mountains. We had the whole day to relax so I chopped my onions and garlic and combined all the ingredients in the cast iron Lodge Dutch Oven and let it cook. We added a few charcoals from time to time to keep the heat at a constant temperature. Other than that, we had an early dinner in about 4 hours.
When cooking in the Dutch Oven outdoors, add hot charcoal to the top of the lid and replace them from time to time as needed.
Most of all, Brunswick Stew should be thick and chunky, and cooked slow for a long period of time.
Since my brother David gave us the Dutch Oven, I had a cold beer in his honor. And yes David, I remembered to freeze a bowl of stew for you. Don’t let me forget when you come to the wedding in a few weeks and we’ll warm it up!
Was it good? It was outstanding. One of the best The best Brunswick stew I’ve ever had!
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Brunswick Stew
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
A delicious tomato based stew containing lima beans, okra, corn and other vegetables, plus various types of smoked meats. Perfect cooked over hot coals in a Lodge Dutch Oven
Course: Soup, Stew
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon jarred beef soup base, (Better Than Bouillon)
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 pounds shredded smoked chicken *
- 1 1/2 pounds pulled pork *
- 3 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 ears fresh corn, cut from the cob (or 12-oz frozen)
- 1 (12-ounce) package frozen okra
- 1 (14-ounce) can creamed style corn
- 1 (9-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans
- 2 (12-ounce) bottles chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons BBQ Sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon white Balsamic Vinegar
- hot sauce for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large 7.5 quart Dutch Oven over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions until tender.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except Balsamic vinegar) and stir until combined. Cover and cook stirring occasionally, on medium low heat until the vegetables are tender and the meat is falling apart, about 3 hours.
- Before serving add the vinegar and stir to combine. Serve with hot sauce if desired.
Recipe Notes
* I picked up smoked meat from a local BBQ restaurant. Homemade BBQ pork, beef, brisket, chicken or any other meat would be great in this stew as well. Let me know if you use squirrel or rabbit!
(Inspired by a recipe on MyRecipes.com)
Camping has always been one of our favorite family adventures.
Finally, whether hiking, laying around, cooking, reading or sleeping, it’s all about spending time together and doing whatever suits us at the time. This trip my photographer Traveling Husband tried to teach me how to take pictures of the stars. There are a bazillion stars in the Virginia night sky and believe it or not, he got some pretty great photos.
Isn’t this cool! Twinkle, twinkle!
This long exposure shot captured a satellite slowly streaking across the sky. So cool!
Then Traveling Husband started taking long exposure shots of the campfire. I love this!
This is an early shot of the campfire – what a boy scout! Love the red glow and perfectly stacked wood too!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday 🙂
Tricia
I’m an avid smoker so I made using my own pulled pork and the meat from a rotisserie chicken I did the other day, all charcoal and hickory/oak wood fueled. First time I’ve done Brunswick stew and it was fantastic! I want to make again for a family gathering and wondered if you have any suggested desserts that work well with this?
Hi John! I’ve always wished we were expert smokers – but have many friends that are. Thanks for trying our stew – it is sooo good! I’ve been thinking about your question for a dessert. My husband votes for homemade Apple Cider Ice Cream, which has a wonderful intense flavor that would be a great finish to the stew. If you’re having a crowd, I guess I would go with cookies, or bars. If you have 8 or fewer guests, I would double our Easy Lemon Posset recipe. Click on this link to get the easy, make ahead recipe – https://www.savingdessert.com/easy-lemon-posset/. Something tart and creamy really sounds great with the Brunswick Stew. Lemon Chess Pie is another great choice. If you’re not into making homemade pie crust, this will work well with a frozen prepared crust and it’s super easy to make. Enjoy and thanks again for trying our recipe and letting us know how it turned out for you. https://www.savingdessert.com/no-10-lemon-chess-pie/
I am using your recipe and used rabbit and pulled pork smells great and taste just as great. Thank you for sharing.
Outstanding! Thanks so much Matt. I haven’t had rabbit in years – bet it is tasty in this stew. I could eat this at lease once a week. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for giving it a try!
Making my family’s version now, with Momma supervising of course. We’re originally from Halifax County, NC, so of course this VA version is the closest thing I have seen to our version on the net. I just got curious, Momma is not going to let me add bbq sauce from a bottle! Maybe your version next time when she isn’t looking???We use stew beef cubes, slow cooked in beef broth to start, get it tender, right? Then of course salt pork & chicken. Would love real butterbeans, but we live in a Yankee state, so baby Lima beans will do. Fresh corn, diced tomatoes & okra are MANDATORY right? Oh Lord have mercy if I mess this up! So happy to see someone who knows “fast” and “easy” is NOT true Brunswick Stew. Those folks might as well just open a can of Campbell’s! Lol!
Oh it sounds wonderful Kat – wish I could have a bowl right now. Best stew ever!
Oh my goodness your star pictures are fabulous!!! What a treat to see a sky so full, we don't get that here in San Diego. But I always really enjoy it when we camp too.<br />LOVE the stew as well, and the idea of cooking it outside. I'm almost in a stew mood! But I haven't quite got there yet. This one is printed and saved for cooler weather though!
The stew looks yummy and the fire looks like a lot of fun (love the photos!)
What a super comforting and lipsmacking stew! I've never tried Brunswick stew. <br />The fire clicks are AMAZING!
This is a beautiful stew. Delicious! Brunswick stew is very popular here in the south too.<br /><br />Velva
Oh Trica! one look at that stew and I was hooked! fantastic – and out in the woods – magical<br />mary x
This sounds delicious. I've never tried brunswick stew. What an awesome camp meal. Love that dutch oven! Would you believe we've had a fire restriction in effect for the past FOUR years while camping? It's been so long since I cooked on anything other than a campstove, it's just wrong. My boys haven't even had a smore cooked on an open fire while camping. Smores on a campstove
WOW, looks amazing 🙂
Hard to beat a good stew cooked in a dutch oven by the campfire. Love your sky and fire shots
Omg! On the menu, stat!<br /><br />www.shilohstaste.com
How fun Tricia, you're stew looks amazing and I applaud you for making such a yummy dinner out in the wild. If he gets the boy scout award, you certainly get the super girl scout trophy! 🙂
Oh gosh, what a glorious adventure. I've always shied away from trying Brunswick Stew because of the rabbit—I'll definitely try your version. I'm sure it can never taste as good as the one cooked over that fire, though.
Tricia, this sounds fantastic! I don't make this stew often enough. Thanks for the reminder. Have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Native Virginian here!! What? No 'possum? I grew up on Brunswick stew (sans 'possum', squirrel or rabbit). It was one of those dishes that changed with what was fresh at the market. I use the recipe from the original Williamsburg Cookbook now. Thanks for the reminder–it is soup weather around these parts.<br /><br />Best,<br />Bonnie