Chef John's Brunswick Stew Recipe

No one knows for sure where this delicious, hearty soup originated, with North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia all claiming to be its true home. However, what everyone can agree on is that the original version certainly did not feature chicken thighs and pork chops. It likely included whatever small animals could be trapped, shot, or perhaps even run over. Squirrel, rabbit, and opossum were common ingredients before the shift to more modern proteins like chicken and pork. As I discussed in the video, using leftover pulled pork can work well here, but avoid adding too much BBQ sauce. The veggies are customizable, but corn and lima beans are a must. Lets dive into the recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces sliced bacon
• 10 ounces thick-cut, bone-in pork chop
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• teaspoon garlic powder
• teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 2 cups frozen yellow corn, thawed
• 1 cups frozen lima beans, thawed
• 1 cup frozen cut okra, thawed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
• 2 cups cubed russet potatoes (1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• cup sliced green onions

Directions

1. Step 1: Gather your ingredients and prepare everything for cooking.
2. Step 2: In a dry soup pot, add sliced bacon and cook on medium-high heat until browned and almost fully rendered. Once halfway cooked, move the bacon to the edges of the pot.
3. Step 3: Place the pork chop in the center of the pot and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove the pork chop from the pot.
4. Step 4: Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and brown on both sides. Browning adds more flavor but is optional. Once browned, remove the chicken from the pot.
5. Step 5: After removing the meat, add chopped onions and salt to the pot. Cook and stir until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If the pot gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium.
6. Step 6: Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
7. Step 7: Add the diced tomatoes to the pot, stirring to deglaze the bottom. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Stir in garlic powder and black pepper.
8. Step 8: Return the browned pork chop and chicken thighs to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated. Add water and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 1 hours until the meat is very tender and falls off the bone.
9. Step 9: Remove the meat from the pot and transfer it to a bowl. Allow it to cool until it's easy to handle. Separate the meat from the bone and skin, then return the meat to the pot.
10. Step 10: Add the corn, lima beans, okra, red bell pepper, and potatoes to the pot. Stir everything to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed.
11. Step 11: Stir in brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Let the stew come back to a simmer (you can raise the heat to speed this up but reduce it back to medium-low to maintain the simmer).
12. Step 12: Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and all the ingredients are fully cooked. If the stew is too thick, add water or chicken broth to reach your desired consistency. The stew should be thick but not dry.
13. Step 13: Once done, stir in apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
14. Step 14: Serve the stew hot, garnished with sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Cook's Note:

Instead of the pork chop, you can also use pork shoulder or pork loin for a different flavor. This recipe can easily be adapted depending on what you have on hand.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 519
• Total Fat: 23g (30% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 7g (36% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 103mg (34% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 820mg (36% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrates: 44g (16% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 7g (26% Daily Value)
• Protein: 34g (68% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 1206mg (26% Daily Value)