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Brunswick Stew

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stews•american•contains meat, gluten-free
1 hour 35 minutes•8 servings•

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion – finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery – finely chopped
  • 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar – packed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds chicken thighs – bone-in, skin removed
  • 1 pound potatoes – peeled and diced 0.5-inch (~3 medium potatos)
  • 16 ounces frozen baby lima beans
  • 2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 pound pulled pork – smoked, shredded
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
Brunswick stew

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables: finely chop the onion and celery; peel and dice the potatoes into 0.5-inch cubes. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs if still attached.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes.

3. Stir in the canned crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, light brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot. Maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the meat pulls easily from the bone, 30–35 minutes, skimming any foam as needed.

5. Transfer the chicken to a board and cool briefly. Shred the meat and discard the bones; return the shredded chicken to the pot.

6. Add the pulled pork, potatoes, frozen baby lima beans, and frozen corn kernels. Simmer, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the potatoes are tender and the stew is very thick and spoon-standing, 30–40 minutes. Add a splash of water if the pot becomes too dry before the potatoes are done.

7. Stir in the hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning to balance savory, tangy, and sweet notes.

8. Let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes to settle and thicken further, then serve hot.

Brunswick stew is a deeply comforting Southern American one-pot meal known for its hearty, spoon-standing thickness and balanced sweet-savory-tangy profile. Tender shredded chicken and smoky pork mingle in a tomato-rich base with creamy butter (lima) beans, sweet corn, and soft potatoes. The result is a robust, crowd-pleasing stew that pairs naturally with cornbread or saltines and tastes even better the next day.

The dish’s origins are proudly contested between Brunswick County, Virginia, and Brunswick, Georgia, with stories dating to 19th-century communal cookouts. Early versions often featured squirrel or rabbit cooked in enormous cast-iron kettles over open fires for church suppers and fundraisers. Over time, cooks shifted toward readily available chicken and pork, while the Georgia barbecue tradition introduced sweeter, tangier notes in some renditions, leaving a beloved stew with regional signatures and loyal followings.