Old Hickory House Brunswick Recipe

Finally found the **best-kept secret** for making a super **tasty meat stew**.

My friends kept raving about the Brunswick stew, knowing how much I love meat, and that tickled my curiosity.

The result was the discovery of a deeply cultured meat stew that is both flavorful and utterly hearty.

If you are looking for the perfect Sunday dinner, or when time is on your hands, try this Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe.

It is the key to a dish that will delight your taste buds.

The more, the merrier because it is not a one-plate meal recipe.

The Brunswick stew origin debate

Traditionally, the Brunswick stew was made with wild game meat, especially the smaller ones, like rabbits and squirrels.

Today the contents might not be as adventurous; however, the exact place of the stew’s origin remains a bone of contention.

The people of Brunswick County, Virginia, claim they were pioneers of the meaty stew, but so do the residents of Brunswick, Georgia.

Both groups proudly believe themselves to be the original Brunswick stew creators.

This debate is so deep-rooted that in Brunswick, Georgia, the people mounted a huge iron pot on top of a town monument.

The declaration was that this was the first pot that cooked the sumptuous stew on July 2, 1898.

The Virginia General Assembly answered by issuing a decree naming Brunswick county as the home of the Brunswick stew, with claims of evidence that runs as far back as 1928.

In Brunswick, Georgia, the stew is made in small portions and mostly served as a barbeque side dish.

On the other hand, the Virginia Brunswick stew is always thick and served as a main dish accompanied by bread as a side dish.

Despite the friendly turf war, none of the Brunswick people make the stew with the wild meat anymore; instead, it is now usually made with pork and chicken.

The cooks might secretly guard the vegetables and seasoning, but most use lima beans or butter beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Keeping alive this legendary stew since the 1950s is the Old Hickory House, which is popular for barbeque and Brunswick stew.

Regardless of which side of the story you choose, we all agree that the stew is as rich as its story.

Difference between beef stew and Brunswick stew

Even though both are meat stews, the similarity almost ends there.

While beef stew is primarily made of beef, tomato sauce, vegetables, and some seasoning, the Brunswick stew is richer.

It contains a variety of meat combinations; pork and chicken, beef and chicken, or pork and turkey…

The meat is then spiced and flavored with BBQ sauce and ketchup.

Top that with corn and veggies, and the Brunswick stew can not be in the same comparison space with beef stew.

Thickening your Brunswick stew

If the stew is not as thick as you would love, thicken it by adding two tablespoons of cornstarch to a cup of water or broth.

Stir well, and then add into the simmering soup.

Alternatively, Remove the lid from the cooking pot and simmer at high heat for 5 minutes.

This will make it lose a lot of water, leaving the stew thicker.

In case your stew is too thick for your liking, stir more broth into the stew until you are satisfied.

Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe

Ingredients

●1 pound cooked chicken/turkey (453.5g)

●1 pound cooked pulled pork (453.5g)

●1 ½ cup frozen lima beans

●1 ½ cup frozen corn

●4 tablespoons butter

● 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic

●1 tablespoon tomato paste

●1 teaspoon minced thyme

●1 medium onion (diced)

●2 cups chicken broth

●1 can of diced tomatoes

●1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

●1 teaspoon creole seasoning

●½ -¾ cup BBQ sauce

●½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, depending on your preference)

●Salt and pepper

Cooking instructions

1.Heat butter ( or oil) in a large cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onions, thyme, and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions have caramelized.

2.Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and creole seasoning and continue cooking for 4 minutes.

3.Pour in the chicken broth, add the BBq sauce and boil for 7-10 minutes.

4.Season with salt and cayenne pepper.

5.Add the chopped pork and chicken and cook for about 20 minutes.

6.Put the corn and lima beans into the cooking pot and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or to your desired taste and thickening.

7.Serve warm.

Tips

●You can substitute the Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce, oyster sauce, or fish sauce.

●The meat can vary from pork, chicken, turkey, or even beef.

One of the challenges in making a homemade Brunswick stew is knowing exactly what the Old Hickory House barbecue sauce is made of.

However, below is a BBQ sauce recipe close to how they make theirs. Use it for your Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe:

Hickory House barbecue sauce recipe

Ingredients

2 cans tomato paste (12 ounces)

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon ground red pepper

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

4 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1.Combine the white vinegar, red pepper, black pepper, white sugar, mustard powder, salt, and butter in a saucepan.

2.Heat over medium heat and frequently stir till it comes to a boil. Add in the tomato paste and stir until well blended. Place aside to cool.

3.If you are not planning to use it immediately, after cooling, put it in a glass jar and seal, then store it in the fridge for up to a month.

Making your stew last longer

The Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe might produce more than you can consume in one day.

However, that is not a cause for concern since, using proper storage methods, the Brunswick stew can stay fresh for a long while.

Stew in the fridge

The Brunswick stew can last in the fridge between 5 days to a week.

First, cool the stew to room temperature, pour it into a sealable glass container, tightly seal and put it in the fridge.

For efficient storage in the fridge, glass containers are recommended as they keep the food fresher for longer than plastic ones.

Freezer

Brunswick stew can last for about three months in the freezer when kept accordingly.

Pour the stew into freezer-safe Ziploc bags, leaving a small space for expansion.

Stick freezer tapes on the bag and indicate the freeze dates for later convenience, then store in the freezer.

Thawing frozen Brunswick stew

Ideally, slow thawing is recommended to get the food in the best condition.

Place in the refrigerator a day before or at least overnight for defrosting.

However, because sometimes there is not ample time, give the frozen food a warm bath if you are in a rush.

Heat water in a large pot, and when slightly hot, remove from heat and put the freezer bags in the warm water.

Even cold water would work, but warm water is faster.

In about 2 hours, the stew should be defrosted.

Reheating the stew

When you have some leftover stew from the Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe, reheating may return it to its original flavor.

In fact, stew that has stayed overnight is sweeter the following day, so long as it’s in perfect condition.

Nevertheless, try not to overcook it so as not to lose its flavor.

Oven

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.Pour your leftover stew in an oven-safe container or pot, then warp it in an aluminum foil.

3.Place it in the microwave to heat for 45 minutes. Halfway through stir to make it warm evenly. With a food thermometer, check the temperature. If it reaches 165 degrees F, the stew is good to go.

Microwave

1.Pour the soup into a sealable microwave-safe dish and place it in the microwave.

2.Heat for 3 minutes, stirring well after every 60 seconds. This will help heat the stew without leaving patches that are not as hot as the rest.

Over the stovetop

●Put the stew in a cooking pot and warm on low heat. Add some broth for a better, fresher taste.

●Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, frequently stirring to reheat evenly.

●Remember, it is not recommended to heat frozen stew directly; thaw it first.

Conclusion

Do not miss out on this savory southern-style meal if you are a meat lover.

Use the Old Hickory House Brunswick stew recipe to make a dish so good not to share with others.

Invite over your friends and family and serve with your favorite bread.

---