We love fire department stew but we can only get it a few times a year! So we decided to make our own version at home! This Brunswick Stew and Rice is stew perfection but of course, you don’t have to serve it over rice!
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RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ
I’ve always loved Stew and Rice. I’m not sure when I had my first taste of Brunswick stew from that famous yellow can but it’s engraved into my childhood memory. My mom always served Brunswick Stew over white rice when we were growing up and now that’s the only way I’ll eat it. Stew without rice just isn’t right.
Around here Brunswick stew is pretty popular. It’s a huge deal around this time of year as churches and local fire departments start making gallons of it and filling those familiar white Styrofoam cups for fundraising. I totally support them and so far this Fall I’ve already bought four quarts of stew but that won’t keep me from making it at home. One can never have to much stew in the freezer ???? .
Finding the perfect Brunswick Stew recipe turned out to be a little harder than I thought it would be. I thought that since it was extremely popular in the south that it would be easy to find a recipe for it, well it was easy to find a recipe, technically it was easy to find about 50 recipes for it. Each one a little different than the last. I couldn’t decide on which one to make, each one of them claimed to be the best. So I kind of of just combined them all and Thomas’ knowledge from making it at the fire department!
Quick Glance at ingredients for Brunswick Stew and Rice: (amounts in recipe card below)
- tomato paste
- water
- tomato soup
- onion powder
- salt
- pepper
- can corn
- can peas
- lima beans
- diced potatoes
- chicken broth
- liquid smoke
- Worcestershire sauce
- whole chicken, cooked and shredded
- beef, cooked and cubed
- sugar
Also, white or brown rice for serving is optional
(amounts in recipe card below)
How to make Brunswick Stew and Rice – AKA Fire Department Stew
In a large stock pot, mix together tomato paste, water, tomato soup, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Add in all of the vegetables and mix well. Add in chicken broth, liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
Heat on medium heat for about 15- 20 minutes. Add in cooked, shredded chicken and cooked beef. Stir in sugar. Cover and let simmer for 1.5 hours – 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot over white rice. (or brown rice)
What to Serve With Brunswick Stew and Rice:
Desserts to serve with Brunswick Stew and Rice:
- Banana Cream Pie Poke Cake
- Southern Pineapple Pie
- Strawberry Jello Cream Cheese Pie
- Southern Pineapple Sunshine Cake
Brunswick Stew and Rice FAQ:
- How long do I cook this stew? We cook it for a minimum of 2 hours. Longer is always better for stew because it becomes thicker but 2 hours is a good time for it when you’re starting off.
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Brunswick Stew and Rice
Brunswick Stew and Rice
We love fire department stew but we can only get it a few times a year! So we decided to make our own version at home! This Brunswick Stew and Rice is stew perfection but of course, you don't have to serve it over rice!
Ingredients
- 2 cans tomato paste (24 ounces)
- 2 cans of water (24 ounces)
- 1 can tomato soup (15 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 large can corn (29 ounces), drained
- 1 large can peas (29 ounces), drained
- 2 cans lima beans (30 ounces), drained
- 2 can diced potatoes ( 60 ounces), drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 whole chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1 -2 pounds beef, cooked and cubed
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- White Rice (or brown rice), cooked (to serve under stew)
Instructions
In a large stock pot, mix together tomato paste, water, tomato soup, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Add in all of the vegetables and mix well. Add in chicken broth, liquid smoke and worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
Heat on medium heat for about 15- 20 minutes. Add in cooked, shredded chicken and cooked beef. Stir in sugar. Cover and let simmer for 1.5 hours – 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot over white rice. (or brown rice)
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I added a little hot sauce, it was delicious. This recipe is similar to my dad’s recipe, his had equal parts chicken, pork and beef.