Brunswick Stew

When we were in Atlanta, we happily enjoyed numerous local restaurants. At two different spots--Mary Mac's Tea Room and Daddy D'z--we had this delicious Brunswick Stew. Both Virginia and Georgia claim credit for creating this stew. And many original recipes use small game such as squirrel or rabbit. I adapted this recipe from various versions available online and used more common meats of pork and turkey.

Do not be deterred by what appears to be a long list of ingredients. Many ingredients are pantry staples. And because this recipe uses turkey and mashed potatoes, it is a good recipe to use after Thanksgiving. Or if you do not have turkey available, chicken can be substituted. This recipe resulted in a very thick stew. If you prefer a thinner stew, just add more stock or eliminate the mashed potatoes.

Brunswick Stew 

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans or 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cups frozen corn
• dash tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
• 1 pound pulled pork

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for five minutes. Add lima or garbanzo beans; cook for two minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, chicken broth and mashed potatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add corn, seasonings and meats and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!