Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew is a southern concoction that dates back to the early 1800's. Two southern states, Virginia and Georgia both claim it's origin began with them. However, I must yield to what the history books tell us. 

According to Virginia's history a political rally was held in 1828 for the Democratic party candidate Andrew Jackson, at the home of Dr. Creed Haskins, which was located on the banks of the Nottoway River. The story goes that Dr. Haskins asked his cook, Jimmy Matthews to make a pot of his hunters stew that was usually cooked while on hunting trips. The original pot contained squirrel meat, onions, stale bread and seasonings. 

The political rally was a success and Andrew Jackson was elected, the stew was a success and Brunswick County's name was given it. The recipe was copied and served at many church functions, family reunions and every celebration from picnics to fund raisers. The ingredients were changed by replacing the squirrel with chicken but the basic stew remained the same. 

Brunswick County, Georgia also lays claim to the origination of Brunswick Stew and even have a memorial erected of the original pot that contained the first Brunswick stew. However, they also have this bit of memorabilia dated. The stone reads, "IN THIS POT THE FIRST BRUNSWICK STEW WAS MADE ON ST SIMON ISLE JULY 2, 1898". That having been said, it's plain to see that Virginia was indeed the first. The two recipes are akin to one another but the Georgia recipe calls for the addition of cubed pork. 

Below is what I call our Tar Heel Brunswick Stew because believe it or not, we also have a Brunswick county in North Carolina although as far as I can tell, they lay no claim to originating the stew recipe. 

Tar Heel Brunswick Stew

1 large frying chicken - cut up
1 pound stewing beef - cubed
4 large waxy white potatoes - diced
1 large onion - diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper - chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
4 cups whole kernel corn
4 cups green lima beans
4 cups canned stewed tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce
3 - 4 quarts water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place butter in a large pot and add chopped onions and bell pepper. Sauté until transparent. Add 3 quarts of water to the pot along with the chicken and beef. Simmer slowly for two hours or until the meat is "falling off the bone" tender. 

Remove meat from the broth and remove all bones, skin and fat. Chop meat coarsely and return to the pot. Add the potatoes and cook until almost tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to simmer until all is done. (Additional water may be added if the stew becomes too thick. Stir often as it has a tendency to stick and scorch. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in bowls with generous portions of corn bread or hush puppies.