Smokey Bones Brunswick Stew

Culinary choices typically change with the seasons. So as fall gives way to winter, comfort foods become increasingly more popular. That’s true at Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill, which operates casual dining restaurants in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. The Smokey Bones Brunswick Stew is one of the restaurant’s most popular menu items, particularly in winter. At-home chefs will serve up a warm, memorable, seasonal meal with this Smokey Bones recipe:

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 roasting chicken (about 1-1/2 pounds)
• 6  cups water
• 2⁄3 lb ground beef
• 1 1⁄2 lbs onions, diced (about 4 cups)
• 3⁄4 lb  smoked pork (pulled pork, or 1 pound ground pork, see note)
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 3⁄4 cup ketchup
• 1  tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1⁄4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  hot sauce
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  barbecue spice
• 2 (15 ounce) cans  cream-style corn

Directions

1. • Cut chicken into pieces, place in a stockpot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
2. • Remove chicken and pour stock into a bowl or large measuring cup.
3. • When chicken is cool, discard skin. Pull meat from bones and discard bones. Tear meat into small pieces. Six ounces of smoked chicken meat may be used in place of raw chicken, and water or canned broth may be substituted for stock.
4. • In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until about half done.
5. • Add onions and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chicken and pulled pork. Stir and cook until well mixed and heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. • Transfer the meat mixture to the stockpot. Stir in 4 cups of the reserved chicken stock.
7. • Stir in tomatoes and their juice, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, barbecue spice and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.
8. • Stir occasionally, adding stock if needed.
9. Note: When substituting ground pork for smoked pulled pork, cook the ground pork with the beef and add 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the stew with the other seasonings.