Pulled Pork & Chicken Brunswick Stew

Renae Wilson
Renae Wilson
Originally from South Carolina with family roots in East Texas, Renae has been based in Brooklyn for 13 years. A U.S. Navy vet, Renae used her Montgomery GI Bill to fund her culinary & pastry education at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Graduating in 2015, she has since worked as a private chef, freelanced in test kitchens developing in recipes, testing cookbooks for prominent authors, and catering. More recently, she made her debut in the pop-up world serving Southern comfort food under the name “Dear Henry”. A color and glitter enthusiast, her hobbies include budget traveling the world so that she can eat more, dancing, crocheting, engaging in various tomfoolery, baking, and frying the hell out of some chicken cutlets.
published Dec 26, 2021
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Brunswick Stew Recipe

This flavor-packed stew gets its kick from a mustard-based sauce.

Serves8 to 10

Prep15 minutes

Cook1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes

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Brunswick stew (a Southern dish that features a tomato base with beans, vegetables, and meat) in a cooking pot with yellow handles, with a yellow lid on the side, and two bowls with stew in them, seen from the top down
Credit: Renae Wilson

Here we have it: another recipe for a bit of fridge clean-out. Brunswick stew, a classic Southern dish,  is made with various meats and veggies cooked with tomatoes and barbecue sauce. Traditionally, you could find more gamey meats — such as squirrel, raccoon, and rabbit — in the mix because the stew is meant to make use of whatever ingredients or scraps you have on hand.

Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina all take credit for the origins of the dish. This accounts for modern-day regional differences. While chicken and rabbit are in Virginia’s version, North Carolina and Georgia have given us the addition of pulled pork and barbecue sauce.  

Credit: Renae Wilson

Brunswick Stew Ingredients

I chose to stick with pulled pork and shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great!) for my version. Traditional vegetables include lima beans, corn, and potatoes. For something tangier and slightly less sweet, I opted for a mustard-based barbecue sauce and use less than many recipes call for. If you’d prefer to use a tomato- or ketchup-based sauce, we recommend serving the sauce on the side.

How to Serve Brunswick Stew

Serve Brunswick stew with a side of zippy, creamy coleslaw to contrast the dish’s sweetness. Cornbread is also a great side. And if you really want to do it the Southern way, crumble it right on top of the stew for a gritty, crunchy texture. 

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Brunswick Stew Recipe

This flavor-packed stew gets its kick from a mustard-based sauce.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves 8 to 10

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1

    large yellow onion

  • 2

    medium carrots

  • 2 stalks

    celery

  • 3 cloves

    garlic

  • 12 ounces

    baby potatoes

  • 2 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons

    unsalted butter

  • 2 teaspoons

    dried thyme

  • 2 teaspoons

    mustard powder

  • 2 teaspoons

    kosher salt, plus more as needed

  • 1 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 (about 14-ounce) can

    diced tomatoes

  • 1 (32-ounce) carton

    low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons

    Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon

    packed light or dark brown sugar

  • 2 cups

    shredded, cooked chicken

  • 2 cups

    pulled pork

  • 1 cup

    frozen lima beans

  • 1 cup

    frozen corn kernels

  • 3/4 cup

    Carolina-style mustard-based barbecue sauce (see Recipe Notes), plus more as needed

Instructions

  1. Halve and thinly slice 1 large yellow onion (about 2 cups). Finely dice 2 medium carrots and 2 celery stalks (about 1 cup each). Mince 3 garlic cloves. Cut 12 ounces baby potatoes into 1-inch-thick rounds.

  2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and garlic. Cook until the onions begin to soften and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons mustard powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 (about 14-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices and cook until bubbly and fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

  4. Add 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes begin to soften, 15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken, 2 cups pulled pork, 1 cup frozen lima beans, and 1 cup frozen corn kernels. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered until it starts to thicken, about 20 minutes more.

  5. Add 3/4 cup Carolina-style barbecue sauce. Simmer until the vegetables are softened and the soup is thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt or barbecue sauce as needed. Serve with a side of cornbread, coleslaw, or salad desired.

Recipe Notes

Barbecue sauce: This recipe was developed with a mustard-based sauce. If you’d like to swap in a sweeter tomato or ketchup based sauce, we recommend serving the stew with barbecue sauce on the side to be swirled into individual portions as desired.

Storage: Refrigerate stew in airtight containers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

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Ingredient
pantry
Vegetables
Chicken
poultry
Main Dish