Brunswick Stew

This is another of my Fall, Harvest Time, favorites to be served with the Autumn Salad, Apple Cheese Ball with Crackers, and maybe that Appalachian favorite - Dried Apple Stack Cake...

Brunswick Stew

There are conflicting claims as to where Brunswick Stew originated. Brunswick Georgia? Brunswick County Virginia?

Hard to say – but one thing is clear to me – this is good stuff!

Brunswick stew was reported to be traditionally cooked in a huge pot over open flames. I do not have that option, so I use a heavy stockpot.

Obviously cutting the recipe down IS an option. This makes a lot of stew – and as far as I can remember – it does freeze and reheat fine. Just be careful not to burn it when reheating. I prefer to reheat on the stove, not in a microwave. I believe adding a little water and reheating just develops the flavor further.

Also, as I normally tell you all that a recipe on here is not rocket science, and to feel free to change things up a bit, or a lot, - I am NOT going to say that about this one. I feel you need to stay mostly true to this receipe.

Options: This stew can be made with just chicken (1.5-2lbs) but the smoked pulled pork really adds to the flavor. Unfortunately, if you do not have your own smoker – it does also add to the cost of the stew as well. I like using smoke pulled pork and smoked pulled chicken. Smok'n!!!!!!!!!!
 

The ingredients sound StRaNgE to say the least, but it does not matter because they work BeAuTiFuLlY!!!

The sauce:

In a sauce pan, over low heat, melt ¼ cup of butter...

Add:

• 1 ¾ cups ketchup
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• ¼ cup white vinegar

Blend until smooth...

Add:

• ½ Tbs. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• ½ oz. liquid smoke
• 1 oz. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ oz. Tabasco sauce
• ½ Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Blend again...

Add:

• ¼ cup dark brown sugar

Stir constantly, increase heat to simmer (DO NOT BOIL) for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 3 ½ cups of sauce.

Set aside...

NEXT:

In a 2 gallon (or so) pot, over low heat, melt another ¼ lbs. of butter.

Add:

• 3 cups diced potatoes
• 1 cup diced onion
• Two 14 ½ oz. cans of chicken broth
• 1 lbs. of baked chicken (white and dark)
• 8 – 10 oz. smoked pulled pork

Cautiously bring to a rolling boil, stirring until potatoes are near done, then add:

• One each 8 ½ oz. can of early peas*
• Two each 14 ½ oz. cans stewed tomatoes - (chop tomatoes, add liquid to the stew pot)
• The earlier "prepared" sauce
• One each 16 oz. can of baby lima beans*
• ¼ cup liquid smoke
• One each 14 oz. can creamed corn (seriously, I do not like creamed corn, but if you substitute with regular corn – it is not nearly as good!)

Slow simmer for 2 hours.

Makes about 1.5 gallons.

 
*You can either use the liquid in the canned beans or not. Using it gives the option to cook down/reduce the stew if wanted. This is a fairly thick stew.

Autumn Salad

OK, so I do like salads ok, but this one is simply the bomb in my book. You can find the salad dressing as a low fat alternative - which is cool since I love this dressing and I normally hate lowfat anything! I also think this salad is great to serve with at a Fall gathering accompanying Brunswick Stew and an Apple Cheese Ball with Crackers. If you aren't afraid to Apple-It-Up, have a Dried Apple Stack Cake (with molasses or without) for dessert! Click links above for recipes.

Toss together your Autumn Salad using any combination of the below ingredients. And remember, this is YOUR salad, so make it how YOU like it!

• Baby Spinach or Romaine (play with it)
• Cheese options
• feta
• bleu cheese
• gorgonzola
• Fruit options
• diced crisp apple or diced pear. I like honey crisp, pink lady and braeburn apples.
• Additions – Raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries (I prefer cranberries as others seem too sweet to me)
• Onions – Red preferred, but white or yellow work – or even spring/green onions
• Nuts – Walnut or pecan (I don’t like nuts, so I do not rush out to buy them...)
• Optional – Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, carrots
• Dressing – Any raspberry walnut vinaigrette – seriously. Nothing else tastes as good with this salad. I prefer Ken's Steakhouse version.  I will try to make my own at some point.
  
  And remember this ~ if you toss the salad in a large salad bowl with the drssing, you will probably use LESS dressing than if you just poured it on in your dawg-bowl of salad. That equals fewer calories!