18ouncesbottled sweet and smoky barbecue saucerecommend Kraft original
1cupcatsup
2teaspoonssaltor to taste
1teaspoonred pepper flakes or 1 red chili pepperchopped (optional)
Instructions
Put the ham bone in a large cooking pot with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Add the chicken to the pot along with the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, celery, onions and peppercorns.
Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender – approximately 1 1/2 hours. When tender, set the chicken aside until cool enough to handle.
Remove and discard the bones and skin from the chicken.
Finely shred the chicken meat and return to the broth.
Add the onion, butterbeans or baby lima beans, corn, potatoes, diced tomatoes, barbecue sauce, catsup, salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Add more water if needed to make a thick soupy stew.
Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender
Notes
Brunswick stew may be made with all pulled pork, all shredded chicken, or any combination of the two. I prefer all chicken.
The ham bone is optional and used only to provide a smoky background flavor for the stew. A good source for purchasing a ham bone is HoneyBaked Ham. Or check with the butcher at your grocery store. They often have them and will often provide you a bone free of charge.
If you can't find a ham bone, you can start with cooking the chicken and aromatic herbs and use a barbecue sauce with a smoky flavor where called for later in the recipe.
For a much faster preparation, skip cooking the chicken and substitute the shredded meat from a purchased rotisserie chicken in its place. When using this option, be sure to use a very smoky barbecue sauce.
Keeps in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for about 4 days. May be frozen for up to 3 months.