OLD VIRGINIA BRUNSWICK STEW

Brunswick Stew is a southern stew with a tomato base, containing chicken, chicken stock, beans, corn, okra, potatoes, onions, and spices.  The original recipe was made with one or all of the following, squirrel, rabbit, opossum, or whatever game they could get for the night.

3 lbs, bone-in chicken pieces, remove skin; I use chicken breasts & drumsticks

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

2 (14.5-oz) cans 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

1 t sea salt

½ t 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 1 tablespoon 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