Big Joe's Brunswick Stew (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between beef stew and Brunswick stew? ›

The difference between Brunswick stew and beef stew is very simple. Beef stew consists of beef, vegetables, tomato sauce, and some seasoning, while Brunswick stew has a very spicy flavour that comes from a combination of BBQ sauce and ketchup, and is made with beef, pork, and chicken.

Brunswick stew is a tomato-based stew generally involving local beans, vegetables, and originally small game meat such as squirrel or rabbit, though today often chicken. The exact origin of the stew is disputed.

Use cornflour or cornstarch.

Stir them together to make a paste, then add the paste to the stew. Stir the stew until the paste is fully mixed. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat to allow the cornstarch to mix into the soup. Check the consistency of the stew and add more paste if necessary.

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Store any extra Brunswick stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 or 4 days. Reheat before serving. Brunswick stew also freezes well.

First, gather your main ingredients, starting with the meat: you want about a half pound of meat—beef, lamb, pork, and veal all work—per person you're serving. (You could get by with 6 ounces of meat per person, but a half pound ensures you'll have leftovers, and leftover stew is a very good thing.)

Each stew has its own flair and flavors depending on its origins. In general, Burgoo uses game meat and has lima beans and corn added along with hot sauce and Worcestershire. Brunswick Stew has similar game meat though is now most often made with chicken and salt pork, and also often includes okra.

In South Alabama, it is called 'Camp Stew'. The origin is debated between Virginia and Georgia, but most people believe it to be from Brunswick, GA, hence the (other) name 'Brunswick Stew'. The name 'Alabama Stew' is because today, most of the places you will find it will be in South Alabama.

How do you make Brunswick stew less sweet? Choose a BBQ sauce that doesn't have added sugar for a less sweet stew. If you've already made your stew and it tastes too sweet, try adding a dash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. The extra acidity can help round out the sweet flavor.

Brunswick Stew is a hearty southern-style, tomato-based stew packed with meat and vegetables, but traditional recipes are high in sodium. Learn to make this Heart-Healthy Brunswick Stew instead with less than 300 mg of sodium per bowl!

What do you put in stew to make it thick? ›

A slurry is a mixture of some type of starch, usually cornstarch, and water—use cold water, hot water, or the hot liquid from the stew. Mix the starch and liquid together, add it to the stew, and bring everything to a boil. The stew will start to thicken almost immediately without much impact to the total cooking time.

If you've already made your stew and it tastes too sweet, try adding a dash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. The extra acidity can help round out the sweet flavor.

Cornstarch, potato starch, and chickpea flour are a couple of pantry-friendly ways to thicken soups, stews, and sauces in the slow cooker. Just a tablespoon or two of any — added towards the end of cooking — will thicken sauces especially well.