My great-grandmother's folks used to make this. The "family recipe" dates back over a hundred years. Back in those days they would use the meat from the head, snout, feet of the hogs. The "store-bought" Brunswick stew that we find nowadays is so full of sugar and artificial sweetness, and doesn't really do the old recipe justice. Our family's recipe would cater more to the folks that enjoy a vinegar/mustard based stew.
Only problem is, the original recipe makes something like five gallons of stew, maybe suited more for family reunions or large gatherings. Efforts to size down the recipe doesn't seem to yield the same flavor. Definitely a staple of my childhood and to think that the recipe has been passed down for multiple generations is just amazing!
EDIT: Grew up about 40 miles from Brunswick, Georgia USA. I'm assuming this is where the name originates from.
"The exact origin of the stew is disputed. The states of Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia all claim its birth, with Brunswick County in Virginia and the city of Brunswick in Georgia both claiming it was developed there. It may have originated earlier in some form in the city of Braunschweig (English: Brunswick) in the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in today's northern Germany."
The origin is disputed but I can confidently say this: I have seen Brunswick Stew on restaurant menus a lot more in Georgia than in Virginia or the Carolines. That's anecdata at its finest.
I’m from Georgia and my grandmother used to get the best Brunswick stew from the local bbq place when I would visit. I’ve heard people used to make it with squirrel.
Is it possible to share the recipe? Is the meat chopped finely or in chunks?
Meat is a combination of finely chopped with few chunks, more shredded really than anything. When I get home I'll see if I can find that recipe. I certainly don't mind sharing. :)
Only problem is, the original recipe makes something like five gallons of stew, maybe suited more for family reunions or large gatherings. Efforts to size down the recipe doesn't seem to yield the same flavor. Definitely a staple of my childhood and to think that the recipe has been passed down for multiple generations is just amazing!
EDIT: Grew up about 40 miles from Brunswick, Georgia USA. I'm assuming this is where the name originates from.