Virginia Hospitality: Brunswick Stew

It was 12 degrees this morning in my corner of Augusta County and daytime highs are hovering in the 20s ... the perfect Brunswick stew day to help ward off the cold.

From the cookbook, Virginia Hospitality: A Book of Recipes From 200 Years of Gracious Entertaining, is the Brunswick stew recipe I have used for years. As with any cook, I have variations (in parentheses). Stew is best when the flavors are given time to meld together. The recipe easily doubles and triples for larger groups. It is a family favorite!

Brunswick Stew
1 whole chicken, cut up (I use chicken breasts, shredded)
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 ounces white shoepeg corn
10 ounces frozen small butterbeans
1 pound canned tomatoes
2 small potatoes, cubed (I double or triple that)
1/3 cup ketchup
2-3 Tablespoons vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcheshire
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon marjoram (I omit)
2-3 Tablespoons butter

Place chicken in Dutch oven and add enough water to cover well. Add onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Boil until chicken comes off bones easily. Remove chicken to cool and add corn, butterbeans, tomatoes, potatoes, ketchup, and vinegar; cook 2 hours or until tender. Remove chicken from bones and add to vegetables along with Worchestershire, Tabasco, marjoram, and butter. Serves 6-8.

Note: Vary amount of water for thick or soupy stew. Add a cup of chicken bouillon after the first or second serving.

Add to that a garden salad and some pan biscuits and you have a hearty meal on a cold winter day.

Pan biscuits (camping biscuits) are made by melting butter in a frying pan on the stovetop. Mix Bisquick for biscuits and drop into pan. Cover and cook over low heat, adding butter as needed and turning biscuits as necessary. Biscuits will have a crispy buttery crust. Enjoy!