One of the great advantages of preparing country ham is all that leftover ham and a beautiful country ham bone.  What will you do with that ham bone ? Split pea soup?  Senate bean soup?  How about Brunswick stew?

“U 91 : Brunswick County, Virginia — The Original Home of Brunswick Stew.”

“According to local tradition, while Dr. Greed Haskins and several friends were on a hunting trip in Brunswick County in 1828, his camp cook, Jimmy Matthews, hunted squirrels for a stew. Matthews simmer the squirrels with butter, onions, and stale bread, and seasoning, thus creating the dish known as Brunswick stew. Recipes for Brunswick stew have changed over time as chicken has replaced squirrel and vegetables have been added, but the stew remains thick and rich. Other states have made similar claims but Virginia is the first. (Department of Historic Resources, 1987)”

There are as many recipes for Brunswick stew as there are southern cooks.  There’s even major disagreement about where Brunswick stew originated, with Virginia and Georgia both claiming credit.  Some folks say you need squirrel, others say rabbit, others say just chicken is fine.  But Camille Glenn writes in her cookbook that THE essential ingredient for Brunswick Stew is a bone from a country ham.  Corn and lima beans may also be essential (at least Craig Claiborne thought so).  Other than that, be inventive.

We’re soliciting comments from some real southern cooks out there who know how they make their grandmother’s Brunswick Stew.  Meanwhile, here’s a basic recipe:

1. Simmer your ham bone for an hour in a large pot with several quarts of water.
2. Add various meats you have on hand (chicken, rabbit, squirrel, what have you) with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, celery ribs, whole or diced onions and peppercorns.  Simmer uncovered until tender (2 hours). (note: it appears that many cooks brown the meat first in peanut oil or bacon drippings, sauté the holy trinity (onions, peppers and celery) and then add the ham bone + water).
3. Remove the meat and set aside.
4. Strain the stock and skim off (only) some of the fat.
5. Add vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, chopped celery, chopped onions, potatoes, lima or butter beans, corn and chile pepper).  Simmer uncovered until vegetables are cooked (45 mins).
6. Bone the meat and return to kettle.  Add more water if needed.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add salt & pepper as needed.
7. Serve with corn bread or white rice.

Variation 1: add more spices such as paprika, onion powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, and savory a la Paul Prudhomme.

Variation 2: add red wine vinegar and juice of 2 lemons.

Question to all you authentic southern cooks out there: Do you all ever add okra to Brunswick Stew?

Published : April 26, 2009

Author: Rob | Tags: downhome, southern, virginia

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 26th, 2009 at 10:13 PM and is filed under musings, recipes, trivia.