What’s for Dinner?! Brunswick Stew…and homemade chicken stock

As promised earlier…recipe for Brunswick Stew!  I really don’t think that you can mess this up unless you burn it on the bottom of the pan, but I’ll tell you what i do most of the time (because every time it’s a tad different based upon what i have in the pantry!)

Make this in the morning because it MUST cook all day if you want it to be amazing…which I’m sure you do! And for you working gals out there…throw it all in the crockpot for the whole day and it ought to turn out wonderfully! I’m a stockpot kind of person ,when I can, because I like walking by and giving it a stir!

First I’m going to tell you how to make homemade chicken stock…the cheater’s way!  Step 1. Go to Sams or Costco or the grocery store and get a rotisserie chicken. Step 2. Eat the chicken for lunch or dinner with simple sides. Step 3. SAVE every single piece of that carcass and the juice in the bottom of the pan. Step 4. Put all of that in a stockpot. Quarter an onion (use the method i showed you earlier today!) Cut some celery into about 3 inch lengths (I’d say maybe 3-4 stalks). Put some carrots in too…maybe a cup or so. These can be cut big as well, or really cheat and use baby carrots. Put a couple Tbsp minced garlic.  Fill the pot up with lots of water, and add salt, pepper, I put some Lawry’s seasoned salt, maybe a tsp of thyme, and a Tbsp parsley flakes.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer a long time UNCOVERED…at least 3 hours, and up to about 8 makes it really great!  The darker the color, the richer the broth.  When you’re done, strain out all the bones and veggies and store the stock.  I normally just freeze mine in about 6 cup (that’s 1 1/2 qts) containers, so I can use it whenever I want. Also if you’ve made it really concentrated, then when you make soup or something with it, you can usually add as much water as you have stock to make more.  So if you have 4c. stock, then add 4 c. water and your broth will still taste super rich.  Also, make sure that you say things like “oui, oui” and “bon appetit” when you make this, you’ll be very European now making your own stock and all.

Ok. Now for the Brunswick Stew.
Ingredients.
cooked chicken (you can use a whole chicken, a rotisserie one, about 6 breasts. It doesn’t matter…just cook it first and rough chop it. It’ll get all shreddy in the soup)
2-ish qts chicken stock or canned broth (stock makes everything richer tasting…see above for how to make it.)
1 can rotele tomatoes
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans creamed corn (today I only had 1 can creamed corn, so I used one of regular corn too…)
1 bag frozen baby butter beans
4 potatoes diced (any kind is fine…today I had baking potatoes that were huge so I just used 3)
2 c. chopped carrots
2 med onions diced (again, I had giant onions today, so I just used 1)
about 3 Tbsp brown sugar
about 3-4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb BBQ pulled pork (buy this already made somewhere. But, if you don’t have it, or don’t have time to get it like me today…omit it.  Just makes it better, but it’s amazing even without the pork.)

Put all of this in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer…all day!  Your pot will reduce by at least 1/3 or more. Make sure you scrape the bottom well when you stir it so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.

You will love this.  And, it makes a lot…so share it or freeze it, or eat it every day for lunch the rest of the week!  I’d love to know what you think of it when you try it, so be sure to leave a comment!

**After I initially wrote this post I did a step by step guide to making homemade chicken stock (complete with pictures and everything.)  I linked it up top, but if you missed it, you can click HERE to hop over and learn how!