Brunswick Stew Recipe

Large Dutch oven filled with a stew made with shredded pork, frozen lima beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and bbq sauce.

4.77 from 46 votes

Brunswick Stew is a classic southern recipe traditionally made with squirrel or rabbit cooked in a hearty tomato and barbecue-based broth. In this recipe, I've traded small game meat for shredded pork shoulder for a delicious, comforting, and flavorful stew the whole family will love!

Prep Time25

Cook Time3

Total Time3 25

Course: Dinner, Stew

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Brunswick Stew, Brunswick Stew Recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Jessica Randhawa

Cost: $15

Ingredients

3-4 pound bone-in pork shoulder (see notes)
salt and pepper to season
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoon butter
2 large onions diced
6 cloves garlic minced
4 Yukon gold potatoes (or other type of waxy potato), diced
2 (15 ounce) cans corn drained (or frozen corn)
12 ounces frozen lima beans
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup barbecue sauce plus more to taste
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Season and sear the pork. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over the entire surface of your pork shoulder, using your fingers to rub it into the pork. Meanwhile, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear on all sides, until lightly browned, but not charred.
Cook the onion. Remove the pork to a clean plate and set aside. Add four tablespoons of butter to the same pot set over medium heat and add the diced onions. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until starting to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add additional vegetables. Add the potatoes, corn, lima beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Thoroughly mix to combine. Return the pork back to the pot, nestling under the mixed vegetables so that it is completely submerged in broth.
Cook. Bring to a low boil before reducing heat to a simmer. Cover and allow pork to simmer for at least 2-3 hours.
Remove pork and shred. Remove the pork shoulder from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Use two large forks (or your hands) and shred into chunks. Once all the pork has been shredded, return the pork AND the bone back to the pot (the bone still has flavor).
Season. Add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) and mix well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve with your favorite cornbread recipe and coleslaw for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Notes

I did not have leftover shredded pork, so I had to start from the beginning when preparing this recipe. To skip this step and save time simply:

Prepare or purchase pork ahead of time. You'll need approximately 4 cups of shredded or pulled pork.
Add shredded chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Chicken takes less time to cook when compared to bone-in pork shoulder (approximately 40 minutes to cook bone-in skinless chicken thighs).
If you're really short on time, you can even use shredded rotisserie chicken!

The total amount of shredded meat will vary, but aim for at least 4-6 cups. Add less if you prefer more vegetables or more if you prefer more meat.

BBQ SAUCE: everyone has their preferred bbq sauce flavor (smokey vs sweet vs vinegary) so pick a sauce you like. Start with 1 cup and add more if desired. You can also add a little ketchup (2-3 tablespoons to start) or hot sauce like Tabasco sauce (1 tablespoon to start).

Originally Published March 10, 2020

Nutrition