Fresh tomatoes add something special
Canned tomatoes work just fine, but fresh, ripe tomatoes add a lovely garden-fresh flavor.
SOUTHERN COMFORT · SLOW COOKER · FALL & WINTER
Mama’s Homemade
Brunswick Stew
A Southern family favorite
passed down with love.
Tender chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, and sweet corn—with just the right amount of barbecue flavor. The kind of recipe that feels like coming home.
MAKESAbout 10 servings
METHODSlow cooker · LOW
BEST SEASONFall & winter
Cooking time follows the original family method; no exact total time was supplied.
A LITTLE TASTE OF HOMESome recipes
Some recipes
are memories.
Some recipes are more than just something good to eat. They’re family traditions, sweet memories, and a little taste of home. This homemade Brunswick stew is one of those recipes for me.
Passed down from my mother, this hearty Southern stew has become one of my daughter’s favorites, too! I look forward to making a big pot every fall and winter, especially when the weather starts cooling down and we’re craving something warm and comforting.
This is my mother’s Brunswick stew recipe, written in my own handwriting many years ago as she told me how to make it. The handwriting is mine, but the recipe and the knowledge behind it came straight from Mama.
“Mama’s recipe, my handwriting, and a family tradition that continues through generations.”
LET’S GET SOMETHING COOKED
Mama’s Homemade Brunswick Stew
Approximately 10 servings · Slow cooker
What you’ll need
Check off ingredients as you go.
A note from the recipe box
Download the complete recipe PDF ↓The original doesn’t specify the size of the can of peas. Keep that detail in mind when choosing your ingredients.
Let’s make it
- 1
Start the stew
Place the chicken, diced potatoes, onion, and tomatoes in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- 2
Prepare the chicken
Remove the chicken, discard the skin and all bones, and shred the meat. Return the chicken to the pot.
- 3
Add the flavor
Stir in barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, peas, salt, and pepper. Leave out the cream-style corn for now.
- 4
Let it simmer
Continue cooking on LOW for several hours to let the flavors come together.
- 5
Finish with cream-style corn
Stir in the cream-style corn during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Heat thoroughly.
- 6
Serve and enjoy
Ladle into bowls and enjoy with cornbread or crackers.
Mama’s original method & cooking notes
Cook the chicken, potatoes, onion, and tomatoes overnight on LOW; remove the chicken to discard skin and bones; return the meat, add everything except corn, and cook throughout the day. Add corn at the end.
Use thawed chicken, follow the slow cooker manufacturer’s timing guidance, and check that chicken reaches 165°F. Refrigerate promptly between stages if making ahead.
THE LITTLE THINGS MAMA KNEW
Kitchen tips & family secrets.
Homemade BBQ sauce takes it up a notch
If you have homemade barbecue sauce, use it! It adds your own signature sweet, tangy, smoky flavor.
Cream-style corn is the secret
Adding the cream-style corn at the end gives the stew that thick, nostalgic consistency I remember from traditional Brunswick stew. Don’t skip it!
The leftovers are worth looking forward to
After a night in the refrigerator, the flavors mingle and develop an even richer, heartier taste.
A fall and winter tradition
There’s nothing quite like a big pot of Brunswick stew when the weather turns chilly.
A family favorite for generations
Mama shared this recipe with me, and now it’s one of my daughter’s favorites. That makes every pot especially meaningful.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOUR BOWLNourishing.
Nourishing.
Comforting.
Estimated nutrition per serving, assuming 10 servings. These are the recipe author’s rough estimates, not a formal nutrition label.
- Calories
- ~300 kcal
- Protein
- ~25 g
- Carbohydrates
- ~33 g
- Total fat
- ~9 g
- Dietary fiber
- ~4 g
- Saturated fat
- ~2.5 g
- Cholesterol
- ~75 mg
- Total sugars
- ~14 g
- Sodium
- ~650 mg + added salt
- Potassium
- ~650 mg
Nutrition varies substantially with chicken yield, sauce brands, the size of the peas can, salt, and serving size. The supplied estimates are not laboratory-tested or calculated from exact brands and cooked chicken yield.
What makes this stew nourishing?
- Protein from chicken supports muscle maintenance and helps make this a satisfying meal.
- Peas, corn, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes contribute dietary fiber and a variety of nutrients.
- Tomatoes provide lycopene; potatoes contribute potassium and vitamin C; peas provide folate and plant protein.
- Chicken contributes B vitamins and iron.
- For lower sodium or added sugar, choose lower-sodium canned vegetables and a barbecue sauce with less added sugar.
Dietary notes & ingredient alternatives
Typically dairy-free, depending on ingredient brands. Can be gluten-free when the barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and other packaged ingredients are verified gluten-free. Contains added sugars if sweetened sauces are used.
TOMORROW’S DINNER, TOO
The leftovers are worth looking forward to.
Transfer to shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Refrigerate for 3–4 days, or freeze for 2–3 months for best quality. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
A PEEK INTO THE KITCHENFrom the
From the
family kitchen.
A short kitchen clip supplied with the recipe.
Video pairing to confirm
Back to the written recipe ↑This clip shows orange vegetables being prepared on a stovetop. The written recipe is a chicken stew made in a slow cooker. Please follow the written recipe; this clip has not yet been confirmed as a demonstration of it.
Original kitchen clip · About 20 seconds
Passed down with love.
Shared with you.
Some of the most cherished recipes aren’t fancy. They’re the ones passed down with love, made from simple ingredients, and remembered long after the bowls are empty.
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