The first hints of fall mean it is time to bring out the stew pot or crock pot for hearty, comforting stews, and in particular Brunswick stew. Though Georgia may claim otherwise, Brunswick stew is very much a Virginian tradition. So much so, that in 1988 the General Assembly declared Brunswick County the home of the dish and named the fourth Wednesday in January as Brunswick Stew Day, usually held at the state capitol.
History
An 1855 Alexandria Gazette article recounted its creation which previously appeared in the Petersburg Intelligencer, stating “it was the custom of the different neighborhoods of Brunswick to repair almost every Saturday.” They go on to mention “a sufficient number of squirrels” being shot, “otherwise chickens were to do duty” or some combination thereof. “In due time, were added tomatoes, corn, butter beans, potatoes, with the requisite condiments of salt, and cayenne pepper, all of which when properly cooked furnished to the participators a feast which Apicius might have envied.”
Today’s Brunswick stews may no longer use squirrel, but some traditions still carry on, namely the community aspect of creating the stew. Richmond and Callao resident Tom Giannasi has become the unofficial stew master of sorts, for the Callao Hometown Community Association. Last year, Giannasi donated the ingredients and his time, along with other members of the community, to create 275 quarts of the stew. It quickly sold out and raised money for the future Callao Community Park.
Giannasi said his mother, Marion Hester Giannasi, was a North Carolinian who loved the stew and would often make a pot “using fresh vegetables out of my father’s garden.” He uses his mother’s recipe which has been adapted from Lee Lester’s recipe. According to Gianassi, Lester was a stew master from Midlothian and used this version for various community organizations in the 1930s.
Cooking tips:
Fresh ingredients are preferred over canned or frozen. Giannasi prefers sweet onions instead of yellow, and “since I was in the spice business I use white pepper instead of black pepper. That was in my mother’s and grandmother’s stew recipe.” His mother has also said cooking outdoors over an open fire can provide an added smoky flavor.
Ingredients:
Chicken, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, butter/baby lima beans, white shoepeg corn, seasoning salt, pepper, butter, chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Want an opportunity to try Giannasi’s recipe first hand?
Brunswick Stew Drive-Thru: Benefitting the Callao Hometown Community Association and the Callao Community Park, $12 a quart.
Purchase online: https://gocallaova.org/
Pick-up: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, November 4
Callao Volunteer Fire Department Station, 314 Northumberland Highway, Callao
Hester-Giannasi Brunswick Stew
based on Mr. Lee Lester’s Original Recipe
Makes 8-10 quarts
Day One: preparing the chicken and broth:
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), plus 2 or 3 boneless breasts
- Stew chicken in a pot with water, celery (including tops), carrots, onions, salt, 2 bay leaves and 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns.
- Cook until done, de-bone and shred. Strain chicken broth and refrigerate overnight.
Day Two: preparing the stew
- Potatoes: peel and dice enough for 5 pounds of finished product (Can also be done the day before if stored covered in water.)
- Onions: peel and dice enough for 2 pounds of finished product
- Tomatoes: 2 1/2 quarts of fresh tomatoes, scalded and peeled, then diced. Canned petite diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes can be substituted using a 2 to 1 ratio diced to crushed.
- Butter/baby lima beans: 2 quarts or 2 1-pound bags, fresh or frozen
- White corn: 8 to 10 ears fresh, 2 1-pound bags frozen
- Seasoning salt (optional): 2 tablespoons
- Pepper: 2 teaspoons
- Sugar (optional): 2 tablespoons
- Butter: 3 sticks
- Worcestershire sauce:1 tablespoon
Use a large pot, 12 quart minimum, add enough chicken broth, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and butter to cover the potatoes and onions. Cook on rolling boil until potatoes are done.
In a separate pot, cook the beans with salt and butter until done.
Add tomatoes to the large pot and reduce heat to low simmer. Add cooked beans and continue to simmer. Add chicken and corn. If using fresh, cut off the cob, toss with 1 tablespoon of flour before adding to the stew.
Stir frequently, especially after adding the beans, chicken and corn to prevent sticking or burning. Continue to simmer until thick. According to Stew Masters everywhere, “It’s not done until the paddle stands up in the middle.”
