Brunswick stew is a Southern dish with beans, vegetables, and meat in a tomato base. Early Brunswick stews were usually made with squirrel, rabbit, and opossum.

The thought was to use whatever was local and easily available (much like today). Lately, pork, chicken, and beef are the most common proteins found in this stew.

Have you ever tasted Brunswick Stew before? If not, I promise, you are in for the best! It’s a nice 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 best way to warm up as the leaves start changing and the colder days and nights start to sweep in.

What’s in Brunswick Stew?

This Brunswick stew is prepared with cooked pork shoulder or leftover pulled pork, along with shredded or chopped cooked chicken thighs and vegetables.

The barbecue sauce and a touch of cayenne pepper add rich flavor to the tasty stew. This recipe makes good use of leftover meat and vegetables and takes advantage of what ingredients are at your disposal.

How to Make Brunswick Stew

Begin by heating a little oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy stock pot.  Then add the onion and cook until tender.  Then reduce the heat and add the minced garlic cooking for one minute while stirring constantly. 

Now stir the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of chicken broth and add it to the pot.  Then add the remaining chicken broth, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, baby limas, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes.  Then add the smoked pork and chicken and let it simmer for about five more minutes.  If preferred season with salt and pepper.  Spoon into bowls and drizzle with just a little bit more barbecue sauce.

Brunswick Stew Ingredients

Here are the major ingredients for Brunswick stew:

1. 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil

2. 1 large onion finely chopped

3. 2 cloves garlic minced

4. 2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth

5. 2 tablespoons tomato paste

6. 1 can 14.5-ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes

7. 1 ½ cups frozen corn

8. 1 ½ cups frozen lima beans

9. ¾ cup barbecue sauce plus more for drizzling

10. 2 tablespoons brown sugar

11. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

12. 1 ½ teaspoons hot sauce

13. ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

14. ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper

15. 1-2 pinches of cayenne pepper

16. 2 ½ cups pulled smoked pork

17. 1 ½ cups cooked diced chicken breast or chicken thighs smoked or roasted.

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or hefty stock pot. Add the onion and cook until tender; five to six minutes. Reduce heat and add the minced garlic cooking for one minute while stirring constantly.

2. In a small bowl stir the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of chicken broth then pour it into the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, lima beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper to the pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add the smoked pork and chicken and let it simmer for about five more minutes. If desired season the stew with salt and more pepper to taste. Scoop into bowls and drizzle with just a little bit more barbecue sauce.