OLD-VIRGINIA BRUNSWICK STEW

Brunswick Stew was served at Virginia's tobacco-curing, sheep shearing, barn building, and other neighbor gatherings. The story goes that a hunting party in Brunswick County, well provisioned with tomatoes, onions, butter beans, okra, bacon, salt, and corn, left one man behind to have the dinner ready at the end of the day. He could only find a squirrel within range of the camp. So he shot it, cleaned it, and threw it into the pot with the vegetables. When it was served, all of the hunters agreed that squirrel was the finest and most tender of all wild meats. Chicken is now substituted...and that's a good thing! 

In 1775 my 5th great grandfather, Capt. David Chadwell appeared at the Colonial Capitol Building in the City of Williamsburg to testify against another man who stole his horse. I like to think that maybe that evening he dined at one of the taverns and had Brunswick Stew, probably with squirrel. 

3 lbs, bone-in chicken pieces, remove skin, if desired (I used 4 large chicken breasts)

1-quart chicken stock or broth
3 cups water

Stew

4 slices applewood smoked bacon, diced

2 T unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, diced

1 (14.5-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 cups frozen lima beans

2 cups frozen corn

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 ½ cups sliced okra 

2 T Worcestershire sauce
½ t liquid smoke (optional)

2 sprigs thyme or 1 t dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 t Old Bay seasoning

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce, optional

In a large cast-iron stew pot or Dutch oven,
Add the chicken, chicken stock, and water.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl to cool. 

Pour the broth into a large pitcher or measuring cup. 
You should have about 5 cups of rich broth

In the same pot, fry the diced bacon until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon to  a plate and set aside. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Add butter to the pot with the bacon fat and let melt.

Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté for 10 minutes.

Pour the reserved chicken broth into the pot with the sautéed onions.

Add the canned tomatoes, lima beans, corn, potatoes, okra, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, thyme, bay leaves, and Old Bay into the pot.

Slowly simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, pull the chicken off the bones into bite-size pieces and add to the pot. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Simmer another 5 minutes, add the cooked bacon bits and serve with cornbread muffins and hot sauce, if desired.

Serves 6