I love recipes that spring from practicality and this stew is a shining example of that. Most folks call this Brunswick Stew, some call it ….well I don’t know what all everyone calls it because it is around five o’clock in the morning and my coffee is still brewing so I’ll tell you the rest of my story and you can call it whatever cranks yer tractor because you got naming rights on anything you make in your own kitchen ~grins~.

At the first sign of chill in the air, BBQ joints around here start cranking out this delicious stew. It helps them use up any leftover shredded pork and chicken that they may have. By mixing in their signature bbq sauce (my No. 5 signature bbq sauce recipe is in my cookbook in case you need one) and whatever vegetables they have on hand they can turn out a flavorful and filling stew unlike any other.

So today I’m going to show you how simple this is to make in your own home. I’ll show you how I did it using what I had on hand but feel free to make this stew in the spirit it was created by modifying it to use whatever you have on hand at your house.

You’ll need: Bottle of BBQ Sauce (your preference), 2 cans whole kernel corn, onion, whole fryer, potatoes, and about two cups of vegetable or bean of your choice (I’m using frozen baby limas).

I’m just using chicken but you can use chicken, pork, whatever you have. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken if you like and just use canned broth. See how easy this is to modify?

Cover your chicken with water and add your onion. Cook it til it cries uncle, or at least stops putting up a fight.

My chicken looks funny because I stuck a wooden spoon right in the center of it to see if it was cooked so much that it would break apart. It did.

~grins~

Then remove chicken from broth. Let cool while you continue making the stew.

Here is our broth, all rich and wonderful. You don’t have to make your own, though. You are welcome to just stew some chicken breasts until done in canned broth if you like. If you go that route, I’d say you need about 32 ounces (four to five cups or so). Don’t stress over exact quantities, just eyeball it and trust your gut.

Trusting my gut has served me better than I could ever tell you. I’ll write about that one of these days.

Jedis would be jealous if they knew of my force!

To that broth that is left add two cans of drained whole kernel corn.

Whatever was on sale last time you got groceries would be fine because corn can’t read so it has no idea if it is a generic or name brand.

It all acts the same.

Peel and chop up your potatoes.

I did this to all of my potatoes but am just showing one here 🙂

I don’t even own a cutting board, I just use plates to chop on. If I had a cutting board, I’d lose it anyway.

I’m just all organized like that.

Add in your beans and/or other vegetables. I’m using frozen baby lima beans.

Awww, baby limas. Ever so much cuter than adult limas, doncha think?

God love ’em.

Now add in a whole bottle of bbq sauce.

I am using this kind because Dollar General had it when I sent my husband to buy some.

My favorite bbq sauce is the one I developed myself, Old No. 5, and the recipe for it is in my cookbook if you’d like the recipe and kind of funny story behind it.

I make it every few months in a big old batch and then can it. The thing is, I usually end up giving half of it away as gifts and the rest we eat right away on pork chops, chicken, etc, so I don’t have any on hand to show you today.

Oh, if you like your stew on the spicier side, use spicier bbq sauce.