Is anyone interested in learning some little known secrets of making old Virginia Brunswick stew? If so, I am happy to post them. The old timers had a particular way of cooking the delicious stew. I am willing to share them in the interest of preserving and spreading the tradition.
Here is the first secret. Cook the chicken, onions and fatback or bacon (cooks choice) first. For small batches (1 gallon or less) use bone in, skin on chicken thighs and remove the skin and bones after the meat is pull tender. If cooking large batches, just use boneless, skinless thighs.
Also, dice the onions and bacon/fatback. Add it all to the pot and cover with water. Let it simmer, stirring often, until the chicken is pull tender.
Here is the first pic of the chicken, bacon, and onion cooking. In this pot, I am cooking about 10 pounds of chicken, 1/2 pound of diced bacon, and 3 pounds of diced onions. When I finish, I should have about 6 gallons of stew.
More pics and technique as the cook progresses.
This cook is for a fund raiser for my Indian tribe which is the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia. This is a trial cook just to test the waters as it's the first time my tribe has ever done a cook like this. If it's successful, and I believe it will be, we will do a big 40 gallon cook a little later in the season.
Here is the first secret. Cook the chicken, onions and fatback or bacon (cooks choice) first. For small batches (1 gallon or less) use bone in, skin on chicken thighs and remove the skin and bones after the meat is pull tender. If cooking large batches, just use boneless, skinless thighs.
Also, dice the onions and bacon/fatback. Add it all to the pot and cover with water. Let it simmer, stirring often, until the chicken is pull tender.
Here is the first pic of the chicken, bacon, and onion cooking. In this pot, I am cooking about 10 pounds of chicken, 1/2 pound of diced bacon, and 3 pounds of diced onions. When I finish, I should have about 6 gallons of stew.
More pics and technique as the cook progresses.
This cook is for a fund raiser for my Indian tribe which is the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia. This is a trial cook just to test the waters as it's the first time my tribe has ever done a cook like this. If it's successful, and I believe it will be, we will do a big 40 gallon cook a little later in the season.