Brunswick Stew
Brunswick Stew is a classic southern dish full of delicious smoked pork, veggies, and a savory barbecue broth. It’s the perfect way to warm up on a chilly fall day, or just when you’re craving a taste of the south!
Have you ever had Brunswick Stew before? If not, I promise, you are in for a treat! It’s a perfect one pot meal that uses smoked pork (or chicken), and combines it with a savory barbecue sauce broth and plenty of veggies. It’s the perfect way to warm up as the leaves start changing and the colder days and nights start to sweep in.
I know I’ve mentioned to y’all before about how I get pretty homesick out here in Hawaii. Of course we have beautiful surroundings and perfect weather, but when you haven’t seen your family in a year and a half…well, sometimes sunshine and palm trees just aren’t enough.
I really start to miss home this time of year, when the weather is changing (at least on the mainland, it is!) and all of the fun holidays are coming up. Sometimes you need just a little taste of home, and this Brunswick Stew is all that and a bag of chips, y’all. With every bite, it just fills me with warmth and makes me feel like I’m back home in sweet Georgia. 🙂
My husband made our smoked pork on his Big Green Egg, which I swear he loves more than me. 😉 He smoked a ten pound pork butt for our daughter’s first birthday party, and we had plenty left over. I love when that happens because then I get to make this Brunswick Stew! I made cornbread muffins to go along with our stew, and a big pitcher of sweet tea. The perfect southern meal to kick those homesick blues.
Give it a try if you’ve never had it before! I bet you’ll love it. 🙂
Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 1 large yellow onion,, finely chopped
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (undrained)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce, (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
- 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds smoked pulled pork, (or chicken)
- 8 oz. frozen corn
- 8 oz. frozen lima beans
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the garlic and onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, cayenne, smoked pork, lima beans, corn and salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
I made this for a church potluck and received many compliments. One couple said they love Brunswick Stew and mine was the best they’d ever tasted! I followed the recipe as it’s written. Thank you!
PRETTY CLOSE TO HOME (GA)!
This is a great base recipe & it reminded me a lot of Sprayberry’s BBQ(since 1926 Newnan GA) brunswick-stew. After reading the comments I subbed a TX Hickory tomato/vinegar style sauce for half the Sweet Baby Ray’s Original. After it simmered 30 min, it was still missing that GA twang, 4 Tbsp of Ketchup & 3 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar later, we had a winner! I did use 1# each of smoked pulled pork & smoked pulled chicken, so since I was over on the meat, I probably could have added another can of the fire-roasted tomatoes & skipped the Ketchup!
Well done Ashlyn! I’ll be making this next time we have BBQ leftovers!
I made this tonight, and I have to say— it’s delicious. I like a sweet Brunswick stew with just a bit of a kick, and this recipe is exactly what I was hoping it would be. I used both pork and chicken, and I was in a pinch and used the Curly’s chicken with sauces already on it— and I used the Tennessee Whisky pulled pork with honey sauce already on it. I modified the amount of barbecue sauce to allow for the amount that was already on the meat. I got the Baby Ray’s sweet & tangy. It was really good. My daddy would be proud.
Gotta use pork and chicken! And no need for brown sugar!
Love this recipe and I am definitely gonna make it. I am also from Georgia, central GA and lived in Hawaii for 4 years back in the 90’s. I know that feeling. No matter how beautiful your surroundings are you still miss home! I never could get used to palm trees with Christmas lights..lol
Merry Christmas and I hope you get home soon!
Followed the recipe with two exceptions, instead of diced fire roasted tomatoes I used Rottello fire roasted tomatoes with chilies and used shredded pork and chicken. It was gone before you know it!
This my wife and my favorite. I double the recipe and share with family and neighbors. I use Sticky Fingers Smokehouse out of Charleston, SC Carolina Sweet Original BBQ sauce. I do not tweak your recipe at all because it’s perfect.
Brunswick stew was soooo yummmmmy
Thank you so much!😊
Love this recipe….I buy my bbq from a local smokehouse restaurant…makes all the difference…did add a couple of potatoes I needed to use and served with skillet cornbread. I am from SC low country living in VA. It reminds me of home and those big old black pots over an open fire cooking that Brunswick stew for hours. Great recipe!
This is AWESOME!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing
I’m also from Georgia….Smyrna, GA.
“OLD SOUTH BBQ” is the place I always ate for some good “Brunswick Stew”. I’m in Texas now & they do not have or know what I am talking about when I say “Brunswick Stew”. Ok, just like your comment you get to missing something when Fall arrives. I’m going to give your recipe my best shot, as my Grandson turns 2 on November 17th & I would like to introduce something new to the table for the Guests. Wish me luck!
Hope it went well! Happy Birthday sweet baby!
I have Loved Brunswick Stew all of my life. This is as close to what I have enjoyed as I have been able to find. I have made it 4 times in the last month making several changes to vegetables and different BBQ sauces that have made the stew taste different ways. I am making my final batch with what I hope to be a recipe that I will use forever and will pass along to friends and Family. I love this with chicken and shredded pork (BBQ). I have also added potatoes. Also, I like to serve with either Hush Puppies or Fried Cornbread.
Added celery because I had some. This was absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making again. Was a little sweet so I’ll a less sweet bbq sauce next time.
This is a GREAT recipe. BUT, the corn and brown sugar add enough sweetness so you must use BBQ sauce that tangy. Kansas City sauce or vinegar based.
I can’t even begin to describe how tasty this was! I used my own fresh chicken broth and the chicken from that and it came out amazing. I *covered* and simmered it, and I don’t think I was supposed to, which made it a bit liquid-y. I simply allowed it to simmer a bit uncovered and it corrected. This will be going in my permanent recipe file. Thank you so much for sharing!
I have made this recipe twice and think it is wonderful! The only thing I changed was meat. I/2 pound of pulled chicken 1/2 pound pork BBQ and 1/2 pound of beef brisket! Little more corn and Lima beans plus half cup of Okra
Great recipe! I’ve tried many Brunswick stew recipes and this is the best!
Very good and approved by a Georgia boy!
I only had a half pound of leftover pulled pork so I added a can of black beans. I did puree the solids to be like what I’ve had in Georgia.
Too sweet with the sweet baby rays.
I ADD A COUPLE OF DASHES OF HOT SAUCE AT A TIME UNTIL YOU GET THAT PERFECT TASTES
Instead of lima beas I use black beans. They add smokiness. I make this in an Instant pot.
Just curious, how do you make this with the Instant Pot?
Best Brunswick stew recipe! I used Stubb’s barbecue sauce as well and was pleased with the results. I am picky about Brunswick stews… The only one I’ve really ever liked is from “Southern Soul BBQ” on St. Simons island GA. Subb’s was good but I need to find a BBQ sauce with more ‘twang’. I added about three tablespoons of vinegar to make this one taste right. Next time I think that I will only use 1/2 a tablespoon of brown sugar. Great job on this recipe!!!
Southern Soul using half North Carolina Vinegar based sauce and half South Carolina Mustard based sauce in theirs
I cut the sweet baby rays in half and added a 1/3 cup of Carolina vinegar sauce. I also added some Texas Pete. For me the balance sweet and tangy was perfect as it was not overly sweet.
I made this for my 90 year old Mom and she loved it!! Definitely a repeat recipe!
Your bio made me smile- I am a Georgia grad from Savannah living in Houston feeling homesick & found this recipe!!
Delicious!!
Delicious!! Perfect blend of ingredients!
This was the MOST DELICIOUS brunswick stew EVER!!!
We made this and used up leftover prime rib and pork roast. Also omitted the ocra. It was amazing!
There is no Okra in this recipe.
Classic Brunswick stew does not include okra. You do, however, put okra in Gumbo.
We’re trying this recipe tonight with some leftover pulled pork. We’ve already decided to cut the Sweet Baby Rays with some tangy BBQ sauce from a restaurant in Memphis. Like everyone else, Sweet Baby Rays is a little too sweet for us.
I’ve seen recipes of Brunswick stew with okra. The only consistent ingredients are the tomatoes, brown sugar and barbecue sauce. Otherwise, this is the Southern version of Ratatouille.
This Georgia Girl is making Brunswick Stew today, can’t hardly wait til it’s done❤️