Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew

By ebdonahue

Making Brunswick stew in the slow cooker is a no-brainer, but don’t just dump all the ingredients in the crock and turn it on. Browning the chicken and onions in the bacon drippings adds so much more flavor to the stew, and is well worth the extra step. And as a side benefit, the wonderful aroma will last all day.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dry navy beans, soaked and drained
• 4 strips thick-cut bacon
• 8 chicken thighs, with skin and bones
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 2 pounds red potatoes, diced
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1-1/2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or thawed from frozen
• SERVE WITH
• Tabasco sauce
• cornbread
• oyster crackers

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from andreasrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Fry the strips of bacon over medium-high heat just until golden brown. Set aside and drain off the bacon drippings, keeping 2 tablespoons. Chop the bacon.

2. Sprinkle salt and pepper over all the chicken thighs, and sear them over medium-high heat until they are golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. Drain off some of the drippings again, keeping 2 tablespoons. Sauté the onions in the drippings until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Put the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the bacon, onions, and chicken on top of the vegetables, and add the soaked navy beans, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper. Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes with the juice on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken pieces and pull the skin and meat off the bones, then shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in the corn kernels and cook the stew for 1 more hour. Serve and stir in Tabasco as desired.