The Daring Kitchen April 2010 Challenge: Brunswick Stew

The 2010 April Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den. She chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make Brunswick Stew. Wolf chose recipes for her challenge from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and from the Callaway, Virginia Ruritan Club.

We were given two recipes to choose from and I chose the second recipe.  Only my mother and I care for stew in our household and so I didn't want to do the longer cooking version.  As it turned out, my husband liked the stew.  Perhaps I will ateempt the longer cooking recipe in the future.  Until then, Ill go ahead and share the results of the shorter version.  The preference for recipe was not as importatnt as the idea that," Brunswick stew is not done properly “until the paddle stands up in the middle.”

 The variations allowed were:

Recipes may be halved if you choose.

You may substitute any vegetables you don’t prefer. You may use fresh, canned or frozen vegetables. My variations are included in the notes. For example- some recipes include okra in their stew, others use creamed corn.

You may sub out the rabbit for pork, turkey, beef, or even another game animal if you have it available.

This version goes on the assumption that you already have cooked your meats and have broth on hand.

I used the leftover chicken stock I had from a previous challenge.

Brunswick Stew recipe from the Callaway, Va Ruritan Club,

served yearly at the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival in Ferrum, Va.

Serves about 10

2 ½ lb TOTAL diced stewed chicken, turkey, and ham, with broth -

 I used ham, a turkey leg and a cornish game hen.  Stewed in the broth.

3 medium diced potatoes -

I used gold yukon potatoes

2 medium ripe crushed tomatoes

2 medium diced onions

3 cups/ 689.76 grams / 24.228oz frozen corn

1 ½ cups / 344.88 grams / 12.114oz frozen lima beans -

I used another variety of bean to make it more appealing to my husband.

4-5 strips crumbled bacon

½ stick / 4 tablespoons / ¼ cup / 56.94 grams / 2oz of butter

1 Tablespoon / 14.235 grams / .5 oz sugar

1 Tablespoon / 14.235 grams / .5 oz ‘Poultry Seasoning’

Dash of red pepper

2 diced carrots (optional)

Tomato juice

The directions given were this:

In large stock pot or Dutch Oven, mix all ingredients, heat until bubbly and hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add tomato juice as desired. Cook until all vegetables are tender. Serve hot.

I had a bit of confusion and wasn't sure how much broth to used.  The answer given to me was "use enough broth to cover the ingredients."  After I stewed the meat, I pulled it off the bone and then added it back to the broth.  I added the remaining ingredients and let the liquid cook down a bit.  If there wasn't enough liquid, that was when the tomato juice was to be added.  I guess you just add the amount of liquid you want for your stew preference.