A pride and joy of Virginia culture, Brunswick stew is a Southern classic that’s been enjoyed for hundreds of years! The chicken and tomato-based dish is full of corn, potatoes, and beans for a hearty, satisfying, and delicious meal.
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If you love easy stew recipes as much as we do, be sure to try this Dutch oven beef stew, a Crock Pot chicken stew, this crockpot Brunswick stew, Dutch oven pork stew, and this Irish stew, too!
Love Brunswick stew and your recipe is spot on. Love it!!!
– Charla
How to Make Brunswick Stew | 1-Minute Video
Autumn in the South just wouldn’t be complete without at least one batch of this flavorful Brunswick stew simmering on the stovetop. There is a bit of a fight between Virginia and Georgia as to which state created Brunswick stew — Brunswick County, Virginia and the city of Brunswick, Georgia both claim it as their own.
As a native Virginian, I grew up on this cozy dish and it’s a recipe that continues to make our state proud! Regardless of where it originated, Brunswick stew has been around since the early 19th century and there are many, many versions of this supper. This just happens to be our easy favorite!
What to Know Before You Get Started
- This tomato-based dish resembles a thick vegetable soup with added meat. Old-fashioned Brunswick stew was originally made with a combination of meats like squirrel, rabbit, and possum, but today we’re not doing that! In Virginia, our Brunswick stew favors chicken as the primary meat, while Georgians tend to prefer pork and beef.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you like your stew less salty. Homemade broth or chicken stock are other great options.
- I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for ease, but you can also use about 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken that you prepare at home. You’ll need to start with about 2 lbs. of raw, boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Brunswick stew typically has a sweet-and-sour flavor, which you can achieve by stirring in ketchup or BBQ sauce instead of the brown sugar. I use a combination of 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, which gives the broth a slightly sweet and tangy taste without overpowering the other ingredients. For a less-sweet broth, reduce the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon. You can always add more at the end.
Directions
While a traditional Brunswick stew recipe requires the meat to be slow smoked over wood chips for hours or roasted in an oven first, this simplified stovetop version is so much easier! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Fry the bacon and onion. You know the recipe is off to a good start when the first two ingredients are bacon and onion. Your kitchen will smell amazing!
- Add the chicken broth and potatoes.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Simmer the mixture for about 1 hour. Brunswick stew should be very thick. If it looks like the stew is too thin, just remove the cover and simmer a bit longer until it reaches the desired consistency. If you need to thin the stew, stir in additional broth or water, as necessary.
- Ladle into bowls and serve! This recipe yields about 16 cups of stew. If you’re serving a crowd, it’s safe to assume about 1 ½ – 2 cups of stew per person as a main dish. This batch will make enough for at least 8-10 people.
Serving Suggestions
In Virginia, a bowl of Brunswick stew wouldn’t be complete without a slice of Southern cornbread. It’s also delicious with flaky biscuits, pumpkin muffins, one-bowl cranberry orange muffins, apple bread, fried apples, or a kale apple salad with bacon, feta, and creamy poppy seed dressing.
Preparation and Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend the life of your stew, pack the cooled leftovers in airtight containers or in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I normally freeze in batches of 3-4 cups so that it’s easy to thaw the right amount for a single meal or two.
When ready to enjoy, thaw the frozen stew in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, just until warmed through. You can also warm individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Delicious! I love okra and all the veggies in here. This is one of my all time favorites now. The sweetness from the brown sugar makes it for me. I served it with Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Bread!
– Susan
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Virginia Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 4 slices (about 5 ⅓ oz) thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 rotisserie chicken (about 3 lbs.), meat removed and chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, not drained
- 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar (apple cider vinegar also works well)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 more minutes.
- Add chicken broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the tomato paste. Add chicken, diced tomatoes, corn, lima beans, okra (if using), brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The stew should be very thick. If you'd like it even thicker, simmer the pot uncovered. To thin, add more broth or water. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired, and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Some recipes include potatoes, while others do not. You can omit the potatoes if you prefer.
- Okra can be a controversial vegetable, so leave it out of the stew if you don’t care for it.
- If they’re available, use butter beans instead of the lima beans.
- Swap out the bacon and use fatback instead.
- Like more tang? Add an extra splash of vinegar.
- For even more flavor and texture variety, try substituting 2 cups of leftover pulled pork for half of the chicken.
- Make it spicy with a little bit of cayenne or hot sauce.
- Use leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of the chicken (or try a combination of both chicken and turkey).
More Stew Recipes to Try
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Crock Pot Beef Stew
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This recipe was originally published in September, 2020. It was updated in October, 2024.
This was delicious! The chicken we ordered from grocery pick-up was seasoned, but that only made this better. Yum!
Thank you, Jamee!!
I grew up in VA Beach and our Brunswick stew was different. Of course, the recipe had been in our family for 200 yrs by the 1950’s. It had squirrel, rabbit, and chicken but no bacon. We were potato farmers so that was always included. Otherwise, the recipes were extremely similar.
Hi, Gail! Yes — the really old recipes definitely used squirrel, rabbit, possum, etc. — whatever was available! 🙂
This brings back fond memories of our family’s Labor Day tradition. I grew up in Northern VA. Every Labor Day we would travel to see my cousins in Farmville, VA. My Uncle JB had a 20 gal. cast iron caldron he would hook to a tripod over a fire and cook Brunswick Stew all day long. It was always corn, lima beans, potatoes and tomatoes, stock and what ever meat he ended up in his traps. Usually rabbit, squirrel, possum with chicken added. Sometimes deer. One year there was some ground hog (not recommended. came out a little greasy and gamey). But after cooking all day, occasionally stirring with a canoe oar, the meat was fall apart tender and the stew always amazing. Thanks for bringing back old memories. Yes, I will be making your recipe, while remembering those great cousin get togethers in Farmville.
I love hearing that, Doug! Farmville is a great little town — we love visiting! I hope that this recipe gives you a little taste of your family traditions. Happy New Year!
Delicious! I love okra and all the veggies in here. This is one of my all time favorites now. The sweetness from the brown sugar makes it for me. i served it with Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Bread!
Sounds like the perfect dinner to me, Susan. Thank you!
Love Brunswick stew and your recipe is spot on. Love it!!!
Thank you so much, Charla! It is one of our favorite recipes.
This recipe is the BEST! Just like my mum made, from her mother’s recipe from my home in Hanover and Henrico counties, Virginia!!
Definitely a comfort food for me, this non-apologetically replaced Montanan! I’ve been making this in Montana for potlucks, church meals, cook overs, healing meals, recipe sharing, etc., and it’s a been a rave – and ravenous – hit!
AND sharing this recipe to all who want and NEED it.
Far surpasses the simple “chicken soup” for the soul.
Really, it’s so good and wholesome it’s not just a food, but a cure-all, and a THERPY!
Food IS medicine!
Thanks SOOOOO much!
Spread the love, y’all!!!!
Mark
Wow, thank you so much, Mark! We really appreciate you sharing the recipe and are so glad it’s such a hit!
This looks very similar to the way I learned to make Brunswick Stew back in the mid-’70s out in Powhatan County. My first teaching job was at a school that had a big fundraiser in the fall, and stew was one of the top sellers. As another poster mentioned, the men cooked all night in huge cauldrons.
No okra, tomato paste, or vinegar. My recipe calls for butter, which really richens the taste. Because I’m an overachiever (LOL), I can/freeze all the veggies over the summer. the firs
This is the first thing to go at my annual fall party!
Oops — Should have proofread! Guess I got excited thinking about summer veggies. 🙂
I love that! We have an Apple Harvest Festival here in Madison each fall, and it’s a similar situation — men stirring the stew in hours in big cauldrons. Such a classic! I bet the butter is a delicious addition. I’ll have to try that next time…
When is the Apple Festival?
Hi, Ann! It’s always the first three weekends in October.
Wow. My kids loved this. I used black eyed peas instead of Lima and leftover marinara for the tomato paste. I thought this would be a one time recipe but it will be in rotation for the rest of the cool season.
So glad that the kids approved, Kari! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Very good. A hit of Sriracha for those that like some heat. A drizzle of bbq sauce for those that like it a little sweeter. This is a people pleaser!!!
We’re so. glad you enjoyed it, Cheryl!
Wow! What an easy, fast, and delicious recipe! I made it according to the recipe and then stirred in about 1/2 cup or more of ketchup during the last few minutes of cooking. My hubby and my 97- and 99-year old parents loved it! I’m so excited to have lots leftover to freeze for at least three more meals.
We’re so glad it was a hit! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review, Mary Catherine.
Very tasty recipe!
Thank you, Perry!
Getting ready to try your Brunswick stew. Your site and recipes look great and easy to do. Great variety!
Thank you, Harry Thomas! I hope that you enjoy the stew. It’s one of my childhood favorites!