This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’m sitting down to write this after just eating a bowl of this wonderfully nourishing Brunswick Stew. I decided to include “nourishing” in the title because I literally said that it felt so nourishing after taking my first bite. If you’re looking for something comforting but also healthy for your body, you should probably try this recipe.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
Boston Butt: I have fallen in love with this cut of meat. The same farmer that sells me raw milk has these and they are beautiful and flavorful and I can make them feed a whole group of people or my family of five for days. Don’t you dare think about trimming the fat on them! It’s good for you. Check out my Carnitas recipe for another idea on how to use a Boston butt.
Chicken Stock: You can use any kind of stock or broth for this. If you aren’t one to make homemade broth, I encourage you to start. It’s a really simple process and it elevates any recipe, saves you money, and uses up any scraps. Check out How to Boil a Whole Chicken for more information.
Tomatoes: I use these canned tomatoes from Azure Standard and just love them. Typically fresh is better but these are super convenient and if you buy them in bulk, they are very affordable.
Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are really the perfect choice for this dish. Red potatoes would probably be my next choice but I don’t think they’d get as soft. Russet potatoes wouldn’t hold their shape and would end up more “mashed.”
Corn: I have used frozen corn or canned corn and get basically the same results. I did, one time, use left over creamed corn and it took this dish to the next level. You could always go the extra step and make that, follow my recipe here.
Lima Beans: You don’t have to stick to limas for this recipe. I’ve used different kinds of peas but you could substitute beans like great northern beans, cannellini beans, or navy beans.
Time to make Nourishing Brunswick Stew
Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease, butter, or olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. All ingredient measurements are listed in the recipe below.
To the pan, add the Boston butt meat that’s been cubed into pieces. (I cut relatively big chunks, the key is to make sure they’re mostly the same size so they cook equally.) Sprinkle the meat with ½ tablespoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Brown all of the sides of the meat, using tongs to turn them as they cook. (This should only take about 2 minutes per side.)
Once the meat is browned, pour in 3 cups of stock and the 3 cans of diced tomatoes. (I love these tomatoes from Azure Standard!) Stir, cover, and place the Dutch oven in your preheated oven. Cook the meat for 2 hours and then remove the pot from the oven. (If you want to cook the meat the day before, just place the whole Dutch oven into your fridge once it’s cooled to room temperature. The next day, you will need to warm it enough for the fat to melt so you can remove the meat.) Using tongs, pull the chunks of meat out and let them cool while you move on to the next step.
In a second large pot, add the remaining grease (2 Tbsp) and the diced onion. Cook the onion over medium heat until it gets soft, about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the garlic and stir until it’s fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the potatoes, corn, lima beans, and remaining stock (2 cups). Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.
While the veggies cook, shred the meat and add it back into the pot with the tomatoes. Once the veggies are cooked, pour everything into the pot with the meat and tomatoes. Add in the remaining ingredients (salt, Sucanat, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and BBQ sauce).
Simmer everything on medium low for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. (It’s usually better the next day.) Serve it warm! We like it by itself or with some fresh, homemade cornbread. It will keep in the fridge for up to one week or it freezes really well for future meals.
Leave a comment below letting me know if you tried this recipe and what you thought! Is there anything else you like to traditionally see in Brunswick Stew?
Nourishing Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Butter, bacon grease, or olive oil, divided
- 1 3.5 – 4.5lb Boston butt, cut into 2-3" cubes
- ½ tbsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 5 cups Chicken stock or bone broth, divided
- 3 15oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 Medium onion, diced
- 6 Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
- 1 15oz can of corn, drained
- 1 12oz bag of frozen lima beans
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Sucanat, Honey granules, or other sweetener
- 1 tsp Ground mustard
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉.
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease, butter, or olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the Boston butt meat that's been cubed into pieces. Sprinkle with ½ tbsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper. Brown the sides of the meat, using tongs to turn. (This should only take about 2 minutes per side.)4 tbsp Butter, bacon grease, or olive oil, divided, 1 3.5 – 4.5lb Boston butt, cut into 2-3" cubes, ½ tbsp Salt, ½ tsp Black pepper
- Once the meat is browned, pour in 3 cups of stock and the 3 cans of diced tomatoes. Stir, cover, and place in preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours and then remove from the oven. (You can cook the meat the day before.*) Using tongs, pull the chunks of meat out and let cool.5 cups Chicken stock or bone broth, divided, 3 15oz cans of diced tomatoes
- In a second large pot, add the remaining grease (2 Tbsp) and diced onion. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the potatoes, corn, lima beans, and remaining stock (2 cups). Cover and cook 15 minutes.4 tbsp Butter, bacon grease, or olive oil, divided, 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, chopped, 1 Medium onion, diced, 6 Garlic cloves, minced, 1 15oz can of corn, drained, 1 12oz bag of frozen lima beans, 5 cups Chicken stock or bone broth, divided
- While the veggies cook, shred the meat and add it back into the pot with the tomatoes. Once the veggies are cooked, pour everything into the pot with the meat and tomatoes. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir well.2 tsp Salt, 2 tsp Sucanat, Honey granules, or other sweetener, 1 tsp Ground mustard, 1 tsp Smoked paprika, 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Simmer everything on medium low for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve it warm! We like it by itself or with some fresh, homemade cornbread. It will keep in the fridge for up to one week or it freezes really well for future meals.
Notes
Nutrition
