Dish up some stew

Brunswick stew in crock pot will warm you up

Happy New Year to everyone. I wish you the best in health, happiness, wealth and achieving the goals you set for yourself.

One of my goals is to eat less and enjoy it more, and this month’s recipe isn’t a good place to start, as it invites you to eat until you’re uncomfortable. This is a crock pot recipe, but it isn’t from my good friend and superb crock pot cook, Bob Szymakowski. The basics of this dish came from another friend, and long-time readers know I had to tweak it a little to suit my personal tastes.

January is a mixed month for hunters and fishermen in the Carolinas. The weather is usually the coldest of the year, and that’s why I like to offer a stew or hearty soup that will help keep sportsmen warm while they are enjoying the outdoors. Brunswick stew is tailor-made for this because it is a crock pot recipe that can be set and left alone for a few hours.

There is good hunting and fishing to be had if someone cares to dress for the weather. Of course, the weather sometimes throws sportsmen a curve and gets real nice for a few days. Deer and bear seasons have ended, but wild hogs can be hunted year-round, and many big-game hunters switch to them once the other big-game seasons end. Most waterfowl seasons extend well into January, and standing in ankle- to knee-deep water makes a steaming bowl of soup or stew really welcome. Quail, squirrel, rabbit and other small-game seasons  can keep hunters busy into February.

Good winter fishing begins well offshore with a mixture of bottomfish, and there is always the possibility of a wahoo, blackfin tuna or king mackerel striking a trolled bait, or even one drifted back in the current while bottom-fishing. Red drum are roaming the marshes, and unless it gets really cold, there should be speckled trout nibbling, too.

Stripers are still around and inside some inlets, but the big action is far enough up the coastal rivers the water is considered fresh, or in the inland lakes. Once inland, there are also blue catfish and crappie that usually bite well during the colder months.

The bottom line is, sportsmen in the Carolinas have plenty to enjoy in January, and most of it will have you out in the cold. Brunswick stew is an easy concoction to make, but it is very filling and warms you up before heading out and again when you return.

This version cooks in a crock pot, so once done, it can be left on the “serve” setting, so it is ready any time you return from hunting or fishing. It’s good, too, so be prepared for it to disappear quickly.

Crock pot Brunswick stew

I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of Brunswick stew. While recipes may vary a little, it is one of the featured side dishes at most barbecue restaurants across the Carolinas. It’s also something made early in the winter in large amounts and canned for easy warming when the weather gets cold.

Georgia and Virginia have an ongoing debate about where Brunswick stew originated. Georgia is certain enough they have erected a monument in the town of Brunswick. However, Brunswick County, Va., said it was first made there in a state legislator’s hunting camp 70 years earlier. Most folks don’t care as long as their Brunswick stew is warm and ready to eat.

I was first introduced to Brunswick stew at a hunting camp and have always thought of it as an excellent  way to use small bits of game. There are many folks and restaurants that do a pretty good job with domestic chicken and pork. As I have seen many recipes and all are a little different, I believe there are many variables between getting the ingredients together and having a finished stew ready to eat. The good thing is, most of the variations taste good ­— just a little different.

Meat is the first key ingredient. Many people and all restaurants make it using some combination of chicken, pork and beef, and that’s a good start. In hunting camps, it usually has some venison, often has some feral pork, but quail, pheasant or turkey might not be readily available. Chicken is often substituted for wild fowl, but rabbit and squirrel also substitute well.

Veggies are the next main ingredient, and while I want to say anything goes, it doesn’t quite work that way. Corn, butter beans, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes are the staples, and there is a little room to experiment.

One of the veggie experiments I stuck with is using Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies instead of just tomatoes. This isn’t hot, but the Ro-Tel tomatoes give a light edge you don’t get with regular tomatoes. If you want more of the edge, add the liquid, too. To be milder, drain the liquid before adding the tomatoes.

Seriously, don’t be afraid to vary the recipe a little when making Brunswick stew. One of the things I experiment with in this recipe is the barbecue sauce flavors. I prefer using one that is a little sweet — some folks like it really sweet. I have become partial to Carolina Gold Barbecue Sauce from Trader Joe’s as it has a sweet, light mustard flavor. I keep saying I’m going to make it with their sriracha barbecue sauce, but that plan always gets vetoed before I get started.

The preparation for this recipe isn’t long, so it is easy to set up for returning from a winter hunt or fishing trip. I believe it hits the spot and think you will too.

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds boneless meat (venison, feral pork, wild fowl or substitutes typically in near equal amounts)

4 medium to large potatoes

2 medium onions

1 large can (28-ounce) Ro-Tel Original (mild) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 bottle barbecue sauce (not too sweet; I like Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold for a light edge on the taste)

2 cups chicken broth

1 small package frozen baby lima beans

1 small package frozen kernel sweet corn (not creamed corn)

1 small package green beans

4 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp crushed red peppers

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp salt (optional)

PREPARATION:

Thaw frozen vegetables. Put chicken broth and barbecue sauce into crock pot and turn to high for 30 minutes. Peel and cut potatoes into 1- to 2-inch cubes. Peel and chop onions, but not too fine. Remove all fat from meat and cut meat into small, bite size pieces. Add all remaining ingredients to crock pot and stir well. Reduce crock pot to low heat. Cook on low for approximately 10 hours (until potatoes are tender), stirring occasionally as you pass by. Stir well and reduce crock pot to serve setting. Serve.