BBQ Joint Stew
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A tantalizing blend of slow-smoked meats, hearty vegetables, and savory spices, simmered to perfection in a mouthwatering barbecue sauce are all components in this BBQ Joint Stew.
I love recipes that spring from practicality and this stew is a shining example of that. Most folks call this Brunswick Stew, but call it whatever you want! It’s completely delicious.
At the first sign of chill in the air, BBQ joints here in the South start cranking out this delicious stew. It helps them use up any leftover shredded pork and chicken that they may have. By mixing in their signature bbq sauce (my No. 5 signature bbq sauce recipe is in my cookbook in case you need one) and whatever vegetables they have on hand, they can turn out a flavorful and filling stew unlike any other.
So today I’m going to show you how simple this is to make in your own home. I’ll show you how I did it using what I had on hand but feel free to make this stew in the spirit it was created by modifying it to use whatever you have on hand at your house.
Serve this Stew with some Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe or Recipes With Jiffy Cornbread and you will have the perfect dinner.
Why You’ll Love BBQ Joint Stew:
- Flavorful Fusion: BBQ Joint Stew combines the rich smokiness of barbecue with the heartiness of a stew, resulting in a unique and irresistible flavor combination.
- Easy to Modify: This stew features whatever meats you have, whatever veggies you prefer…it’s a totally customizable template!
- Robust and Comforting: The savory spices and robust barbecue sauce infuse the stew with a deep, comforting taste that warms both the body and the soul, making it a perfect comfort food choice.
Ingredients You Need:
You’ll need: Bottle of BBQ Sauce (your preference), 2 cans whole kernel corn, onion, whole fryer, potatoes, and about two cups of vegetable or bean of your choice (I’m using frozen baby limas).
I’m just using chicken but you can use chicken, pork, whatever you have. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken if you like and just use canned broth. See how easy this is to modify?
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make BBQ Joint Stew
Cover your chicken with water and add your onion. Cook it til it cries uncle, or at least stops putting up a fight.
Then remove chicken from broth. Let cool while you continue making the stew.
Here is our broth, all rich and wonderful. You don’t have to make your own, though. You are welcome to just stew some chicken breasts until done in canned broth if you like. If you go that route, I’d say you need about 32 ounces (four to five cups or so). Don’t stress over exact quantities, just eyeball it and trust your gut.
Trusting my gut has served me better than I could ever tell you. I’ll write about that one of these days.
To that broth that is left add two cans of drained whole kernel corn.
Whatever was on sale last time you got groceries would be fine because corn can’t read so it has no idea if it is a generic or name brand.
It all acts the same in bbq joint stew.
Peel and chop up your potatoes.
Add in your beans and/or other vegetables. I’m using frozen baby lima beans.
Now add in a whole bottle of bbq sauce.
I am using this kind because Dollar General had it when I sent my husband to buy some.
My favorite bbq sauce is the one I developed myself, Old No. 5, and the recipe for it is in my cookbook if you’d like the recipe and kind of funny story behind it.
I make it every few months in a big old batch and then can it. The thing is, I usually end up giving half of it away as gifts and the rest we eat right away on pork chops, chicken, etc, so I don’t have any on hand to show you today.
Oh, if you like your stew on the spicier side, use spicier bbq sauce in your bbq joint stew.
Remove your chicken from the bone and shred it well. Add it back to the pot.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer, stirring often, for about half an hour, or until veggies are done all the way
(I used those frozen limas so they need a full thirty minutes).
How to Serve your Stew
Serve hot with saltine crackers, or a crusty bread. And be ready to go back for seconds!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle bbq sauce
- 2 cans whole kernel corn drained
- 1-2 cups baby lima beans or whatever beans you want to use
- 1 whole fryer
- 3-4 medium sized potatoes peeled and chopped (use more potatoes if you need stew to go further)
- 1 onion chopped
- salt and pepper to taste I start with a teaspoon of each but always end up adding twice that!
Instructions
- Place fryer in stock pot and cover with water. Add chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for about an hour, or until fully done and fall apart tender. Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool. Add all other ingredients to stock and stir well. Debone and shred chicken and add back to pot. Add in Salt and Pepper. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to simmer, stirring often, for about half an hour or until vegetables are fully cooked. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed (I like a LOT of pepper in mine).
- *This is excellent with a bit of hot sauce.
What a great cold weather recipe and believe me it’s cold, even down here in the South with snow and ice on the ground… now f I can just talk my husband into going to the market to get the ingredients for this stew! Perfect to go along with the country French bread I made yesterday!
Yummy!!! THat will make a great pairing!
Luv ya’ll Christy! Do tell us more about that fabulous pot your mama gave you! We want details (make/model and where to buy it etc.) Looks beautiful! Happy New Year. Being a southurn gurl from Atlanta (Marietta to be exact) I love reading your blog. You are spot on with the southern recipes and all that goes along with them. It’s a fine heritage and thank you so much for keepin’ it alive! Always brings back precious memories!
Hey! I just love my pot! It is shaped kinda like a pumpkin, with a big old potbelly. I used one like it when I did my live cooking show at UNA and remarked about how much I loved it on stage. Mama took note and surprised me! The brand is “Biltmore” and I am pretty sure there is some tie in with the Biltmore estate. It came from Belk’s and cost around fifty dollars – EEK! I think its worth it but i’d never spend that on myself. I dearly love it though!
Gotta love Belk… and if you watch it long enough they usually put things on sale… and when they have a sale, they have a SALE! I regularly go “visit” things on my wish list there.. hehe
Thanks for the easy recipe that we will be making very soon. It is cold up here in Virginia! We had “Brunswick Stew” growing up in North Carolina. The Fire Department near my Grandmother’s house would make this incredible treat once a year in a huge vat, and we just loved it. The taste just couldn’t be beat! This version, I am sure, was made with chicken. I didn’t know until many, many years later that my Daddy didn’t like Brunswick Stew like the rest of us did. He said that it used to be made with squirrel, and he just never could get over the idea (and he born and raised in the country)!
In North Carolina, Brunswick Stew is often served with NC Barbecue, Slaw and Hushpuppies~~talk about a feast!! And if y’all are ever in Durham, stop by Bullock’s Barbecue just off of Hillsborough Rd. You will love the food and the walls filled with autographed photos of celebrities of every variety.
Have a great week everyone!
I will have to remember that if we are ever in Durham!! Thanks for the tip!
Christy, I haven’t seen anything from Bill Gent on here in a long while. Is he okay?
I’m fine Miz Janice. Been battling pneumonia or something equally nasty for a month or more. The Texas weather gets a burr in its saddle and becomes indecisive. When it can go from 80 degrees to 25 in the span of a few hours, it always takes it’s toll on me. Thank you for asking!
I hope you feel better soon!
I can vouch for the TX weather Mr Gent! I’m living down here on the gulf coast near Houston and it is miserably cold today. I guess the folks in the north wouldnt think so but for this southern girl(born and raised in Mobile AL.) it is colder than a witch’s nose!!
He is good, has been a little under the weather lately is all.
Oooh yummy! I was looking at your chicken stew yesterday and thinking wow, that looks alot like Brunswick stew. Now, just to decide which of the two to fix today while waiting for the snow/ice in central NC!
I’m sure this recipe is good and I will try it, but I would vote for the Chicken Stew, it is absolutely fantastic, best stew you every put into your mouth!! Bar none!!!
Thank you Sandy!!
Bundle up and stay warm!!
It is snowing as I type!!!! My mom made snow cream this morning. A friend made a batch of Brunswick stew yesterday. She gave me some, it was sooo good!!!! I just called and got her recipe. Her recipe calls for 2 chickens and 2 pork tenderloins. Thanks for posting your recipe!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I hope you enjoy! Wasn’t the snow cream wonderful??
SOUNDS SO GOOD ON A SNOWY DAY LIKE WE”RE HAVING TODAY IN THE STATE OF SC.
Stay warm Barbara!!