This Brunswick Stew is a rich and smoky Southern classic made with pulled pork, shredded chicken, corn, lima beans, and potatoes. Everything simmers in a bold barbecue tomato broth for a hearty dinner that is ready in under 45 minutes.
This Brunswick Stew turns leftover pulled pork and shredded chicken into a completely different, even better meal — no reheating the same dinner twice. Everything simmers together in a smoky, bold barbecue tomato broth with corn, lima beans, and potatoes, and it’s ready in under 45 minutes. In a house with 8 kids, nothing goes to waste, and this stew is proof that leftover night can be the best night of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Just $2.25 per serving — $17.99 total for a hearty pot that feeds 8
- The ultimate leftover meal
- One pot easy cleanup
- Ready in under 45 minutes from start to finish
- Rich smoky BBQ flavor that tastes like it cooked all day
- No added sugar — all the smoky-sweet flavor comes from BBQ sauce and smoked paprika, not brown sugar
After 14 years of developing recipes for real families, I know the best dinners save both time and money. This Brunswick Stew does both by turning leftovers into a hearty new meal. If you love hearty Southern comfort food like this one you will also love our Slow Cooker Pork Stew, Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe, and Crock Pot Chicken Stew Recipe.
What is Brunswick Stew?
Brunswick Stew is a thick and hearty Southern comfort food with roots in Virginia and Georgia. It traditionally combines meat, corn, lima beans, and tomatoes in a smoky broth. Today, pulled pork and shredded chicken make it an easy way to use leftover barbecue or rotisserie chicken.
The Real Cost When You’re Using Leftovers
The $2.25-per-serving estimate above assumes you’re buying pulled pork and chicken specifically for this recipe. This stew is designed to use what you already have in your refrigerator. If you use leftover barbecue meat or rotisserie chicken, the cost may drop to about $1.00 per serving.
Stretch it further: If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, add an extra can of drained pinto or black beans and an extra cup of frozen corn. It adds real bulk for under a dollar and barely changes the flavor — you’ll get 10 servings instead of 8 from the same amount of meat.”
Ingredients
- Oil — for sautéing the onion and building the flavor base. Any neutral oil works
- Onion — finely chopped and sautéed until soft to create the savory foundation of the stew
- Garlic — adds aromatic depth. Fresh minced gives the best result
- Low sodium chicken broth — the liquid base of the stew. Low sodium gives you more control over the final saltiness
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes — adds body, bright tomato flavor, and a deeper smokiness that plain diced tomatoes won’t give you. This is what makes the broth taste like it simmered all day.
- Tomato paste — concentrates and deepens the tomato flavor throughout the broth
- Frozen corn — adds sweetness and texture. No thawing needed — goes straight in from frozen
- Frozen lima beans — a classic Brunswick stew ingredient that adds heartiness and a creamy texture. No thawing needed
- BBQ sauce — the ingredient that gives Brunswick stew its signature smoky sweet flavor. Use your favorite brand or our Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Yukon Gold potatoes — peel and dice into uniform pieces so they cook evenly. Yukon Golds hold their shape better than russets in a long simmer
- Worcestershire sauce — adds a deep savory umami backbone to the broth
- Salt pepper and paprika — essential seasoning throughout. Smoked paprika gives an even deeper smoky result
- Crushed red pepper flakes — optional but adds a welcome warmth. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and add more to taste
- Pulled pork — leftover pulled pork is ideal. Store-bought pulled pork works perfectly as a shortcut
- Shredded chicken — leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken breasts, or chicken thighs all work beautifully. This is the perfect recipe for using up any leftover cooked chicken
Carrie’s Tip: This stew is one of the best leftover recipes on the site — use whatever shredded meat you have on hand from the week before. Leftover pulled pork from a weekend BBQ and rotisserie chicken from the store are the two most popular combinations and both give you an incredible result with almost zero extra effort.
How to Make Brunswick Stew
Step 1 – Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in the diced onions and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened.
Step 2 – Add in the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until aromatic.
Step 3 – Stir in the chicken broth, fire roasted diced tomatoes, tomato paste, frozen corn, frozen lima beans, Barbecue sauce, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, pulled pork and shredded chicken.
Step 4 – Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil.
Step 5 – Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Tips for Sucess
- Use the best BBQ sauce you have. The BBQ sauce is the flavor backbone of this stew. A good quality sauce makes a significant difference in the final result. Our Homemade BBQ Sauce is incredible in this recipe
- Do not rush the simmer. The full 20–25 minute simmer allows the potatoes to cook through and the flavors to meld together. Cutting it short leaves the stew tasting thin and underdeveloped
- Dice the potatoes uniformly. Evenly sized pieces cook at the same rate — large uneven chunks leave some pieces undercooked while others fall apart
- Taste before serving. Brunswick stew develops flavor as it simmers. Always taste right before serving and adjust salt pepper and BBQ sauce to your preference
- Make it ahead. This stew tastes significantly better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop overnight. Make it Sunday and serve it Monday for the best result
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap Yukon Gold potatoes for sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter heartier version
- Use all chicken or all pulled pork instead of both — any combination of leftover shredded meat works
- Add okra for a more traditional Southern Brunswick stew flavor
- Swap frozen lima beans for butter beans or crowder peas for a different texture
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end for extra brightness and tang
- Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a deeper smokier flavor
- Make it spicier by increasing the red pepper flakes or adding a dash of hot sauce
Picky eaters at home? Swap the lima beans for an equal amount of frozen green beans or diced carrots — the stew stays just as hearty without the vegetable most kids push to the side of the bowl.
What to Serve with Brunswick Stew?
- Homemade Cornbread — the most classic Southern pairing. Crumble it right into the stew or serve alongside for dipping
- Garlic Bread — crusty garlic bread is perfect for soaking up every last drop of the smoky BBQ broth
- Simple Green Salad — a light fresh contrast to the hearty rich stew
- Coleslaw — a cool creamy side that pairs beautifully with the smoky BBQ flavors throughout
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. The stew tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop
Freezer
- Cool completely then freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Note: the potatoes will soften slightly after freezing and thawing. The flavor stays great, but for the best texture, this stew is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen.
Reheating
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken broth if the stew has thickened too much in the refrigerator. Microwave in 60-second intervals also works well
What to do with Leftover Brunswick Stew?
This stew is just as good the second time around — sometimes better. A few ways to give it new life:
- Spoon it over a baked potato. Split a baked potato and ladle warm stew right on top with a little shredded cheese. Dinner in the time it takes to reheat.
- Turn it into a skillet pie. Spread leftover stew in a baking dish, top with a layer of prepared cornbread batter, and bake at 400°F until the cornbread is golden, about 20 minutes.
- Stuff it into a bread bowl. Hollow out a crusty roll and fill it with hot stew for an easy lunch the kids will actually eat.
FAQ
Brunswick Stew uses barbecue sauce, pulled pork, and shredded chicken for a smoky, sweet Southern flavor. This sets it apart from traditional beef stew.
Yes — but add the meat at the end so it doesn’t dry out. Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, corn, lima beans, potatoes, BBQ sauce, and seasonings to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the pulled pork and shredded chicken during the last 20–30 minutes, just to heat it through. Since the meat is already cooked, it only needs to warm up — not simmer for hours.
Yes — rotisserie chicken is one of the best shortcuts for this recipe. Simply shred the meat and add it directly to the pot with all the other ingredients. If you love turning rotisserie chicken into new dinners, check out these 32 leftover rotisserie chicken recipes for more ideas.”
Some versions lean heavily on brown sugar, which can make the stew taste more like dessert than dinner. This recipe skips added sugar and builds its flavor from smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and a good BBQ sauce instead, so you get rich, smoky flavor without an overly sweet stew.
Simmer uncovered for an extra 10–15 minutes to reduce the liquid or mash a few of the cooked potatoes directly in the pot to naturally thicken the broth.
Absolutely. Use all pulled pork or all shredded chicken — whatever leftovers you have on hand. To make it meat-free, simmer the stew without the meat and stir in cooked chicken or pork to individual bowls, or leave it out completely and add extra lima beans and corn to keep it hearty.
More Easy Stew Recipes
This Brunswick Stew is one of the best ways I know to make leftover night feel like a whole new dinner — hearty, smoky, and gone before the pot even cools. If you make it, leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing what leftover meat you used and whether your family went back for seconds the way mine always does!
Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Large Onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- ¼ cup Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Frozen Corn
- 1 cup Frozen Lima Beans
- ¾ cup Barbecue Sauce
- 1 pound Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- â…› teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes optional
- 2 cups Pulled Pork shredded
- 2 cups Cooked Shredded Chicken breasts thighs or roasted
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in the diced onions and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened.
- Add in the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until aromatic.
- Stir in the chicken broth, fire roasted diced tomatoes, tomato paste, frozen corn, frozen lima beans, Barbecue sauce, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, pulled pork and shredded chicken.
- Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
I just so happened to have all the ingredients to make Brunswick Stew. I used 2 cans of chicken because that is what I had on hand. It was very easy to put together, didn’t take long to cook, and was delicious. It was enjoyed by all. It does make a lot so I will have to freeze the leftovers to enjoy another day.
I’m thrilled to hear this! Freezing is a great idea too!
Can this Brunswick stew be frozen?
Yes! This Brunswick stew freezes really well. Just let it cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. I hope you enjoy it!