Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew Recipe
Level: Easy
Yield: 8 servings
Total: 8 hr 25 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 8 hr 5 min
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
- Two 28-ounce cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
- One 15-ounce can low-sodium tomato sauce
- One 2-pound roast or BBQ chicken, meat roughly shredded (discard skin and bones)
- 1 pound chopped or pulled BBQ pork
- Kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn (about 2 cups) or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen butterbeans, thawed
- 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Instructions
1. Slow Cooker Method
Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the onions and celery, cooking until the onions turn tender and clear, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, 45 to 60 seconds. Move the mixture to the slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Rinse the tomato sauce can with water and pour that in too. Include the chicken, pork, corn, butterbeans, and potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set the cooker to high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
2. Stovetop Method
Warm the oil in a large sturdy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, cooking until the onions soften and become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Rinse the tomato sauce can with water and add it to the pot. Include the chicken, pork, corn, butterbeans, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the potatoes and butterbeans are soft and the stew thickens, around 45 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
This iconic Southern classic, Brunswick stew, channels Virginia's rich traditions into a soul-warming bowl brimming with tender chicken and pork, vibrant veggies like corn, butterbeans, and potatoes, all simmered in a tangy tomato base for unbeatable thickness and flavor. Imagine the smoky aroma filling your kitchen as it slow-cooks effortlesslyperfect for cozy family dinners or tailgate triumphs on chilly nights!
Evolving from humble hunter's stews with squirrel or rabbit, today's version swaps in convenient BBQ meats for that irresistible smoky-savory kick, with a hint of spice you can amp up with barbecue sauce or hot sauce. Let the potatoes and natural reduction create a lusciously thick texture; for extra body, stir in a quick cornstarch slurry at the end.
Grab your 6-quart slow cooker and dive incustomize with bell peppers, okra, or even ground beef. Fresh corn shines in summer, but frozen keeps it simple year-round. Ladle it hot alongside cornbread or hush puppies, and watch it steal the show, even among Virginia stew experts. Your table's about to host a flavor fiestaget cooking and savor every comforting spoonful! Recipe courtesy of Virginia Willis
