Instant Pot Brunswick Stew is a classic American tomato based stew that has many variations depending on who you ask and where it comes from.
My recipe for Instant Pot Brunswick Stew contains two types of meat, both chicken and pulled pork.
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How to Make Instant Pot Brunswick Stew
Step one – Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot or any brand of electric pressure cooker and cook the chopped onions in a little oil for a couple of minutes until they are translucent.
Step Two – Add the skinless bone-in chicken thighs and place them carefully on top of the cooked onions then pour over the gluten free chicken broth. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and the canned crushed tomatoes on top of the chicken pieces and do NOT stir or the tomatoes may burn on the base of the pot.
Step Three – Once you are ready to pressure cook simply lock the lid firmly in place, turn the steam release vent to ‘sealing’ and using the manual or pressure cook button, adjust it to cook for 8 minutes.
Step Four – As soon as the cook time time is up let your instant pot reduce pressure on its own without opening the steam release vent (Natural Release) for about 5 minutes.
Step Six – Remove the chicken thighs from the pressure cooker and carefully remove the meat from the bones and cut it into smaller pieces or pull it apart with forks.
Step Seven – Drain all the beans, and then mash about half the butter beans, then add all the beans including the Lima beans mashed beans into the pot.
Step Eight – Add in the cooked chicken, diced potatoes, canned creamed corn, and cooked pulled pork if you are using it.
Step Nine – Lock the lid securely again, turn the steam vent to ‘sealing’ and pressure cook it for just four minutes this time. Once it’s done you may release the steam and open the lid right away.
Instant Pot Brunswick Stew FAQ’s
- Ingredients Substitutions – Fire Roasted tomatoes can be subbed for regular canned tomatoes. Creamed corn can be replaced with regular corn but the stew will not be as thick.
- Can I make it ahead? Yes, you can absolutely make it ahead.
- How Long will it keep? It will safely keep up to three days in the refrigerator.
- Can I Freeze it? You can freeze it, for best results use within three months. Defrost it in the fridge.
- How do I reheat it? Reheat it in a covered pot on the stove over a low to medium heat until hot all the way through.
- What can I serve with Instant Pot Brunswick Stew? This stew is already packed with vegetables but my Instant Pot Collard Greens would go well with it.
What is Brunswick Stew?
Brunswick Stew is a traditional American stew that is most popular across the Southern United States. Both Georgia and Virignia lay claim to the recipes origins, but it’s not clear where it came from.
This is one of those recipes that varies wildly in terms of authentic ingredients depending on who you ask and who wrote the recipe.
Common ingredients for traditional Brunswick Stew typically include tomatoes, lima beans and butter beans, corn, okra, and at least two types of meat. Others claim that squirrel or opossum are authentic to the original old fashioned Brunswick Stew, but y’all we are NOT going there today!
What kind of Meat is in Brunswick Stew?
Most modern versions of Brunswick Stew contain at least two meats. They are usually dark chicken meat which is often paired with some sort of slow cooked pork, or beef brisket would be another popular option.
My Instant Pot Brunswick Stew has both chicken and pulled pork as that’s what was easiest for me.
How Many Calories are in a Cup of Brunswick Stew?
My recipe for Instant Pot Brunswick Stew contains approximately 629 calories per serving. This may vary depending on your serving size and the specific brands of ingredients you use.
Related Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Brunswick Stew
Instant Pot Brunswick Stew is a classic American stew that is popular in the American South. This easy recipe uses chicken and pork.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb skinless chicken thighs (bone in) , 1133g
- 2 cups low sodium gluten free chicken broth , 500mls
- 28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes , 800g (approx.)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 15 oz butter beans, canned , 425g
- 15 oz baby lima beans, canned , 425g
- 2 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
- 1 small yellow onion , diced
- 15 oz creamed corn , 425g
- 1 lb pulled pork (optional – see notes) , 454g
Instructions
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Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot or other pressure cooker and sauté the chopped onions in a little oil for a few minutes until they are translucent.
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Place the skinless bone-in chicken thighs on top of the onions and pour over the chicken broth. Add the salt, pepper, and hot sauce, then pour over the crushed tomatoes on top of the chicken pieces and do NOT stir.
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Lock the lid, turn the steam release vent to 'sealing' and using the manual or pressure cook settings, adjust it to cook for 8 minutes.
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When the cook time time is up, allow the unit to reduce pressure on its own without opening the steam release vent (Natural Release) for 5 minutes, then carefully release the pressure and open the lid
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Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and carefully remove the meat from the bones and cut it into smaller pieces or pull it apart with forks.
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Drain the canned beans, and then mash only half of the butter beans and add both the mashed and unmashed butter beans and lima beans to the pot
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Add back the cooked chicken, peeled diced potatoes, creamed corn, and cooked pulled pork if you are using it.
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Lock the lid, turn the steam vent to 'sealing' and using the 'manual' or 'pressure cook' button, adjust it to cook for 4 minutes.
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When the cook time time is up you can immediately open the vent to release the pressure, then serve the stew.
Recipe Notes
Pulled Pork – totally optional but makes for a more ‘meatified’ Southern recipe. For convenience I used pulled pork that was already cooked from the grocery store. If you prefer to make your own, I have an Instant pot pulled pork recipe you could use.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes – They add just a little more depth of flavor than regular canned tomatoes, however if you can’t find them then regular canned tomatoes will do.
Creamed Corn – this (along with the mashed beans) will help thicken the stew, but again, if you need to use regular canned corn that’s fine too, it just won’t be as thick.
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