Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew
Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew blends smoky bacon, tender pork, and succulent chicken with tomatoes, potatoes, and classic Southern vegetables for a richly layered bowl. A hint of brown sugar and Worcestershire deepens the broth, while cayenne and cider vinegar add warmth and brightness—perfect for a cozy weekend dinner or a crowd-pleasing potluck.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook2 hrs 15 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
- 1
Gather your ingredients.
- 2
Add the sliced bacon to a dry soup pot and cook over medium-high heat until browned and almost fully rendered.
- 3
When the bacon is about halfway cooked, push it to the edges of the pot and place the pork chop in the center. Cook until lightly browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side.
- 4
Remove the pork chop, then add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and brown on each side. Browning is optional, but it will add more flavor.
- 5
Remove the chicken. When the bacon is finished cooking, add the onions and the salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If the pot gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- 6
Add the diced tomatoes and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, then stir in the garlic powder and black pepper.
- 7
Return the browned pork chop and chicken thighs to the pot, along with any accumulated juices and the water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, or low, to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Simmer until the meat is very tender and falls off the bone, about 1 1/2 hours.
- 8
Remove the meat from the pot and transfer it to a bowl until cool enough to handle. Separate the meat from the bones and skin, and add the meat back to the pot.
- 9
Add the corn, lima beans, okra, red pepper, and potatoes, and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- 10
Stir in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Let the pot return to a simmer (you can raise the heat to speed this up, then reduce it back to medium-low to maintain a simmer).
- 11
Simmer until the potatoes are tender and everything is cooked to your liking, about 30 minutes more. Add water or chicken broth if the stew seems too thick, but remember it should be fairly thick.
- 12
When done, stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
- 13
Serve with green onions and enjoy!
- Calories 397.38 kcal Moderate
- Protein 20.65 g Good Source
- Carbs 51.53 g Moderate
- Total Fat 12.19 g Moderate
- Saturated Fat 4.53 g High
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Cholesterol 46.39 mg Moderate
- Sodium 1185.16 mg High
- Fiber 11.89 g Good Source
- Sugar 16.42 g High
- Added Sugar 7.54 g Moderate
- Calcium 323.6 mg Good Source
- Iron 2.94 mg Moderate
- Potassium 856.65 mg Moderate
- Vitamin A 48.9 mcg_rae Low Source
- Vitamin C 83.95 mg Good Source
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew is a Soul Food dinner recipe made with 18 ingredients. It takes about 2 hrs 30 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Apple Cider Vinegar, Black Pepper, Bone In Pork Chop, and Brown Sugar. Each serving provides about 397.38 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew?
- It is a Soul Food stew recipe made with 18 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
- What is Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew made of?
- The main ingredients are Apple Cider Vinegar, Black Pepper, Bone-In Pork Chop, Brown Sugar, Canned Tomatoes. The full list of 18 is above.
- What goes well with Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew?
- Explore these Soul Food side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew?
- About 2 hrs 30 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 2 hrs 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 397.38 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Hearty Brunswick Stew easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 13 steps.
How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe
easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.
The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.
Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.
Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.
Modified this recipe?
Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.