Easy Brunswick Stew is a thick and hearty mix of pulled pork, chicken (or turkey), vegetables, seasonings, tomato sauce, and BBQ sauce. It has an ingredient list that is a little on the long side, but it’s really just a dump and heat recipe that doesn’t take long at all.
Traditional Brunswick Stew
Traditional southern home-cooked Brunswick Stew typically contains squirrel. That’s not happening in my kitchen. This Brunswick Stew is more like the type you’ll see at BBQ restaurants.
Pulled Pork Adds Smoky Flavor
It contains a combination of pulled pork and chicken. Turkey would also be good if you have leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I think it is the pulled pork that really makes the stew taste so good and I get mine at my favorite local bbq restaurant. If you like to smoke your own or you have leftover crock pot pulled pork, just use that.
Other Ingredients
Brunswick Stew almost always contains corn and lima beans, and sometimes potatoes. I left potatoes out because I wanted to keep this recipe as easy as quick as possible. If you have leftover potatoes, go ahead and throw them in. I’ve even seen Brunswick Stew recipes that have mashed potatoes mixed in. Then you could really use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.
I add quite a bit of BBQ sauce to my Brunswick Stew, but that’s my personal taste. Tone it back and maybe add more tomato sauce if you don’t want the flavor of BBQ sauce to be front and center. I had someone comment on my BBQ Spaghetti Casserole , “This tasted God awful. All I could taste was the BBQ sauce. Gross!” So be forewarned. I think BBQ sauce tastes really good.
I use a tomato based sauce that’s a little on the sweet side called Bone Suckin BBQ Sauce
which is North Carolina made. If you want your stew to have more tang, choose more of a vinegar based sauce.
Recipe Tips
I like Brunswick Stew to be extra thick. You can thin it some with extra chicken broth or tomato sauce.
Leftovers are great over a baked potato. 🙂
This recipe goes great with Jalapeno Beer Bread.
Like to cook in your crock pot? Try this Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew.
Easy Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion,, diced
- 1 clove garlic,, minced
- 1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
- 1 pound pulled pork
Instructions
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes.
- Add lima beans and cook 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, and chicken broth. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Add corn, seasonings and meats and simmer 5 more minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published Nov 18, 2014.
Disclosure: Spicy Southern Kitchen is an amazon.com affiliate.
By far the BEST Brunswick Stew I’ve ever had. I’ve actually been using this recipe for several years and it is not only delicious, but easy to make.
I’ve used many recipes, and this BY FAR was the best. It was simple, quick, and realistic. Thank you, to whomever posted this.
Delicious & very easy, Thank u for the great recipe!
Very good. I put in a tablespoon of brown sugar and a few potatoes. It turned out great.
Add my own twist but love this. Everyone loves it
I looked through SO many recipes before I decided on this one. Everything was absolutely spot on. Picked up the pulled meats from my local BBQ place and followed all of your recommendations, including adding a bit more chicken stock (1 cup) to thin out and about a 1/4 cup more BBQ sauce to compensate for the extra liquid. I also went with the BBQ sauce you recommended, and it was perfect! Having lived in Florida, where you can get this really easily, and now living in Massachusetts where you can never find Brunswick Stew, I was over the moon to find a recipe I could make at home that tasted like all of the best stews I got when I lived further south. Thank you for sharing!
I think this is too tomatoy. I think next time I’m going to use way less tomato sauce. Not sure what to sub in.
Replying to add that my son, 8, said it was “amazing.” And he absolutely loved it!
Sorry, forgot to rate! Awesome
I haven’t thought about this recipe in ages. My recipe is a bit different but main ingredients are similar. I use V-8 juice (spicy is good too) and Sweet Baby Ray’s. No lima beans (that’s southern! Lol). Chicken, ground beef, smoked sausage. But I think pulled pork would be great too. Thanks for the idea (It’s 3 meats of choice). Green beans, corn and potatoes, whatever’s on hand. I will be making this soon! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe! It brought back memories!
Very delicious! No leftovers