Restaurants have long known the secret, that today’s leftovers can be reinvented into tomorrow’s soups and stews. It eliminates waste and makes good economic sense too. I try to follow this principle in my own kitchen by using every last bit of food so that nothing goes to waste.
Brunswick Stew was always a restaurant favorite of mine. This thick, spicy stew is the ideal way to use up leftovers. So, when I made pulled pork earlier this week, I put aside some of the meat to make this easy stew. I added chicken as well, and the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.
I’m excited to tell you that no oddball ingredients were needed to make Brunswick Stew gluten free. Of course, when dining out always check with the kitchen to be sure it is safe to order. At home, you know what to do. Check labels when using canned products, condiments and seasonings.
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Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1-1/2 cups stock (chicken or beef)
- 1-1/2 cups fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce (I used Stubbs Smokey Mesquite)
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups leftover pulled pork
- 1 cup leftover chicken (dark meat works best)
- 3 cups fire roasted corn (frozen or canned)
- 1/2 tsp. BBQ Seasoning
Preparation:
Shred 3 cups total of leftover pulled pork and/or chicken. I used 2 cups of leftover pulled pork and 1 cup cooked chicken (meat from one leg quarter). Look it over carefully to be sure there are no bones. I also removed most of the visible fat.
In a 4 qt. nonstick soup pot, heat olive oil and butter until melted. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent.
Make a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste.
Let it toast for a minute then add the stock, tomatoes, BBQ Sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.
Finally add the fire roasted corn and stir everything together.
Keep it on a low simmer until all ingredients are heated through, about 20 minutes. Remember, most of the ingredients are already cooked, so we are warming it up and giving the flavors a chance to meld together. Like all soups and stews, this one is even better the next day!
Notes ♪♫ As you add the ingredients be sure to taste for seasoning. If you held back on the pepper flakes and BBQ Seasoning, you could add a bit more for those who like it spicy. If you prefer a sweeter taste add another tsp. of brown sugar.
