What happened to Brunswick Stew?

Barbecue has significantly evolved over the past 20-30 years. Nowadays, you can visit a barbecue restaurant and enjoy a variety of regional specialties that once required extensive travel to experience. However, I still struggle to find Brunswick stew on the menu. This seems like a perfect moment to pay homage to my roots and the place I come from.

In its heyday, Dean’s Barbecue set the standard for barbecue excellence on the southside of Atlanta.

I grew up just outside of Atlanta, and we had this small barbecue restaurant that served the best pulled pork and Brunswick stew. They didn't offer ribs, chicken, or sausage or any fancy fare— they just focused on what they did well, and it stood out. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the restaurant in 2017, and it never reopened.

Every time I taste pulled pork with a vinegar-based sauce; I instantly compare it to Dean’s. You can never replace the way they made pulled pork. After moving to Florida, I missed it so much that I taught myself to barbecue. While I can approximate their flavors, I can never truly replicate them. One thing I’ve never found or tasted since they closed is Brunswick stew. I travel for work and often try local barbecue joints, but I've never seen it on a menu again. If you are one of the many Barbecue restaurants out there that serves the regional specialties, add this one please and let me know.

Let’s talk a bit about the origins of Brunswick stew.

Brunswick stew gained popularity in the coastal region of Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina before spreading throughout the Southern United States. Its robust flavor and hearty composition made it a staple at community gatherings, church socials, and family reunions. Closely associated with Southern barbecue culture, it was often served alongside smoked meats and cornbread. Today, variations of Brunswick stew can be found across the South, with each region adding its own twist while preserving the stew's essential character as a comforting and flavorful dish with deep historical roots.

Brunswick, Georgia

Famous for shrimping and the seafood industry there. It shares much of the culinary delicacies with the Lowcountry.

So while I am giving homages, I would like to pass along an authentic Brunswick stew recipe from Brunswick, Georgia. This recipe is not the one like the Dean’s version, but rather the one like my aunts made for Sunday dinner when I was young. One I may approximate the one from Dean’s, and I will let you know when I do. For now, enjoy this one.

Recipe

• 2 tablespoon neutral oil

• 1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can tomatoes, diced

• 1½ pounds Yukon potatoes, peeled and diced

• 4 cups chicken stock

• ¾ cups vinegar-based barbecue sauce

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or teaspoon of Texas Pete

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 pound of Barbecue pulled pork (can be leftovers)

• 1½ cups frozen corn

• 1½ cups frozen lima beans

  Directions

  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 more minute.

  Add the tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and chicken thighs. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, the potatoes are very soft, and the soup has slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

  Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a cutting board.

  Using the back of a wooden spoon, smash the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir to incorporate.

  Using two forks, shred the chicken and return it to the pot along with the pulled pork, corn, and lima beans. Bring the soup back to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the lima beans are tender and the soup thickens further due to the smashed potatoes, about 10 more minutes.

  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.