Brunswick Stew by the gallon… a NC culinary adventure!

Wendy Perry
December 31, 2023
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Carolina Country, Culinary Adventures, good eats, out n'about in north carolina, soups, stews, chilies chowders and such

I love Brunswick Stew. Not all of them, but most.

On my quest to continue journaling some of my favorite parts and pieces of our culinary history here in North Carolina, I pitched an idea over a year ago to my editor at Carolina Country to talk about Brunswick Stew. Once getting the go-ahead, I started out on a mission to find those still cooking and preserving this wonderful concoction in communities around our state. Ready to hit the road to eat stew, it turned out to be more of a challenge as many mostly market their cookings in their communities… as fundraisers of some sort of another.

As part of my curiosity, I decided to create an online place where folks can go to share the stew cookins in their communities, back yards… and favorite places to eat some. I also welcome folks to share their recipes and pictures and story-tell about their favorites… be it an old passed-down family recipe, or one done in their rural neighborhoods over the years.

I hope you enjoy this culinary adventure.

BRUNSWICK STEW BY THE GALLON

George Wooten is among those keeping a Southern tradition alive
By Wendy Perry | Photos by Wendy Perry
Published in Carolina Country Magazine January 2024

And also encourage you to come over and like the facebook (and IG) community created for you to follow along and contribute too. Please invite your stew love’n and cook’n friends and let them know to share their stew events over there! A tasty Brunswick Stew Trail will be something we all can enjoy.

Find my Brunswick Stew recipe here!
And if you like it, please give it some star votes and comments there.

Join us here: North Carolina Brunswick Stew Trail!
IG @ ncbrunswichstewtrail

Enjoy a few pictures from my day… that started a few hours before the sun came up!

…the sun rises over Edgecombe County NC as brunswick stew cook’n has already commenced

…what my headlights caught out by the road when I arrived

…chicken is cookin since 1AM and all these cans about to get opened and added

George giving pots of chicken a final stir before adding the veggies…

…the stew team arrives at 5AM and gets about busying themselves like a well orchestrated machine… this ain’t their first stew cookin!

…stirring of the 3 pots never stops! For about 3 hours…

…time for first tasting, to see about seasonings

…tastes pretty damn good to me! And you should smell this little cooking house!

…the hand made paddles have holes to evenly stir and makes for less resistance for those stirring!

…time to attach the containers and get that hot stew packaged!

…all hands on deck, including neighbor and retired NC Electric Cooperative staffer Bill Harrell

…a lotta stew was scooped in this… the three pots make 850 quarts. Once packed up, there were 848! quarts…. pretty darn close eh?

…fill ’em up and slide on down! The day’s customers George cooked for are waiting outside to load up and deliver.

On this day, Macclesfield Fire Dept. is picking up their presales to deliver at the town’s fall festival, and The United Church of Jesus Christ in Princeville is picking up their presales too!

George has a “stew list” book of folks who want to buy the extras after his non-profit presales are out the door. A steady flow of community folks drive thru for their stew!

George has a few extras on hand, like this hoop cheese… and on this day, several kinds of apples he brought from his home in the mountains when he comes to cook!

George also grows a LOT of cabbage collards by his cook house… huge fields… and has available on an honor system.

…the crew cleans the pots and cookhouse so it’s ready for the next cookin!

George gets his table set up for drive thrus from the community… checking each off in his stew book… along with hoop cheese and fresh NC mountains!

…and another NC culinary adventure is in the books! Thanks to George Wooten for having me, and to Carolina Country for giving me another opportunity to share some of our culinary heritage!

This recipe created long ago… published in Carolina Country Magazine January 2024 © (copyrighted)
by Wendy Perry
Carolina Country Magazine Contributing Recipes Editor

Be sure to visit (and share) my online stores:
Aunt Dee Dee’s Kitchen …my unique seasonings (including salt-free), kitchen doodads & more!
Rada Knives and Kitchen Tools USA made budget-friendly cutlery (great for gifting)
Watkins 1868 Store. Did your mama and grandma buy from “the Watkins Man?” The best vanilla…

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Hey y’all!
I’m so glad you dropped by. Come along for all sorts of adventures, in AND out of the kitchen. You just never know where we may take a field trip to next, so stay tuned, class is about to commence.
Wendy

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What is a Culinary Adventurist?

I’m a very blessed gal to have had just about every opportunity in the culinary world… so I anointed myself “Culinary Adventurist” since I don’t fit any other box. Dare to learn more here and see if I can fill needs of your food company.”

Having fun at the Kitchen Sink Tomato Sandwich Photo Booth at Duke's Mayonnaise 100th Anniversary Gala!

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Aunt Dee Dee’s Kitchen

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Just like my grandma and mama, I'm a Rada gal! Buy American... the best cutlery at affordable prices. Great for gift giving... especially new brides and grooms. Knives for fishers and hunters too!

Brunswick Stew by the gallon… a NC culinary adventure!

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