PETSWORTH BRUNSWICK STEW

For 20-gallon Pot

40 lb. chicken thighs, deboned and skinless

3 gal. shoe-peg corn

4 gal. baby lima beans

3 gal. crushed tomatoes

3 lb. pork, ground white (fatback) meat

25 lb. potatoes

15 lb. yellow onions

8 oz. sugar

10 oz. iodized salt

1.4 oz. crushed red pepper

1.4 oz. black pepper

4 each margarine

Note: They also modify this recipe by adding squirrel and rabbit meat.

In a clean pot, put a few inches of water in the bottom and add heat. Add the chicken and white meat. Add enough water that you can stir easily. It should just cover the chicken. Stir, stir and stir. The chicken should just start to boil in about 45 minutes to an hour. Once the chicken starts to break down (after and hour and a half from start), add the peeled and diced potatoes and onions. You may have to add a little more water, but again, do not add too much as the potatoes and onions will give up some water as they break down. You just need to be able to stir it. Add 1/3 of your powdered seasonings. Stir, stir and stir some more. Once the potatoes get soft and onions are clear (about 45 minutes of cooking), add the crushed tomatoes. Stir and stir until it begins to boil and cut back the heat to a strong simmer. Open baby limas and drain off excess water.

Crush 2 gallons of the beans with your hands to get a lumpy mash consistency. Add the 2 cans of crushed beans and two cans of whole drained beans to the pot. These get added about 45 minutes after the tomatoes went in. Add 1/3 of dry ingredients. Stir and stir. After about 45 minutes after the beans have been added, cut back heat to a very gentle simmer and add margarine and corn. It’s your choice as to adding the corn juice. Add last 1/3 of ingredients, but taste to make sure you are not adding anything that is not needed. Add all the pepper. Add salt to taste. Stir slowly over very low heat for about 20 minutes. By this point, the wood paddle you are stirring with should be able to stand up straight on its own in the pot. Remove heat and let cool for 10 to 20 minutes before packaging or serving. Never stop stirring.

To view this article in its entirety, subscribe here. Already an online subscriber? Login Here