Daring Cook's Challenge, April 2010 - Brunswick Stew

The 2010 April Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf's Den. She chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make Brunswick Stew. Wolf chose recipes for her challenge from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and from the Callaway, Virginia Ruritan Club.

Wolf provided us with 2 versions of the recipe, a long way and a short way. Because I decided to use canned broth instead of making my own stock, I decided to go with the long way. I also halved the original recipe, because it's just the two of us and enough for 12 people is too much. Good thing, too, because even the half recipe made a whole lot!

Ingredients:
3 slices (about 2 oz) bacon, roughly diced
2 chiles of your choice (I used two random dried chiles we had in the pantry), whole if being removed, chopped if being left in
1/2 lb pork (not including bone weight) (Use rabbit if it's available and appropriately priced)
1 4-5 lb chicken, quartered, skinned, and most of the fat removed
1-2 quarts broth or stock
1 bay leaf
1 stalk of celery, whole or chopped
1 lb yukon gold potatoes (or other similar type)
2 carrots
1 can fava beans, drained - Traditionally, it would use butterbeans, but I couldn't find any at the store and fava beans are loaded with fiber, so it seemed like a good compromise.
2 medium onions
1 bag frozen corn (or fresh, but frozen is what I had available)
1 28-oz can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained of about half the liquid (I highly recommend San Marzano tomatoes. There's really no comparison)

Red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste.


Directions:
1. Put your largest pot over the stove and fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the fat behind as possible.

2. Add the chiles to the pan and toast until fragrant, then remove to the bowl with the bacon.

3. Season your meat liberally on all sides with salt and pepper, then sear as much exposed surface as possible. Do this in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Don't worry if you can't get all of it. When each piece is done, remove it to the bowl with the bacon and chiles.

4. Add 1-2 cups of your broth to the pan and scrape the bottom with a spatula to get all the delicious flavor - that is, deglaze it. The broth will probably darken. Bring it to a boil and let it reduce by half.

5. Add the remaining broth, bay leaf, celery, potatoes, chicken, pork, bacon, and chiles, as well as any liquid at the bottom of their resting bowl. Bring the broth up to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for about an hour and a half, stirring every 15-20 minutes.

6. Remove the meat to a strainer. Remove the bay leaf, and the celery, bacon, and chiles if desired. I left them in, because why waste? But if they're not your thing, toss them out.

7. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull it away from the bone and shred into pieces of the desired size. Discard the empty bones, then return all the meat to the pot with the carrots and fava beans. Return to a slow simmer, and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes.

8. Add the onion, corn, and tomatoes. Lightly crush the tomatoes with the spatula once they're in the stew (or with your hands as you add them, but beware squirts!), and simmer for another 30 minutes.

9. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and tabasco sauce. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as desired.

I served this with no sides, just a warm slice of bread. You might also serve it with corn bread, or over rice like a gumbo, or with a crisp salad for a bit of a contrast. It doesn't really need anything, of course - it's got meat and plenty of vegetables, which are the two things I try to make sure go into every dinner - but the bread certainly didn't hurt it any.