As part of my Bylandersea America 250 series, I continue exploring the foodways of early America—where necessity, creativity, and regional ingredients blended to create enduring recipes. One of my personal favorites is Brunswick Stew, a hearty and storied dish so beloved that both Virginia and Georgia still claim it as their own.
A Tale of Two Brunswicks
The exact birthplace of Brunswick Stew remains a matter of friendly debate. Virginia insists it originated in Brunswick County in 1828, when a hunting party cook simmered a pot of squirrel with onions and stale bread. Georgia counters that the dish began earlier in Brunswick, Georgia, where locals used a mix of game and garden vegetables in a long, slow cook.
Whichever claim you favor, the essence of Brunswick Stew lies in its colonial practicality — turning what was available (wild game, corn, beans, and tomatoes) into a sustaining meal for farmers, travelers, and soldiers. Colonial cooks made it in great iron pots over open fires, stirring constantly with wooden paddles to prevent scorching.
A Colonial Crowd-Pleaser
By the 18th century, stews like this became mainstays of plantation kitchens and taverns. Recipes evolved as ingredients became more accessible: chicken and rabbit often replaced squirrel, and the dish thickened with corn or lima beans.
Brunswick Stew wasn’t just a recipe — it was an event. Communities gathered for “stew days,” where massive cauldrons bubbled over the fire from dawn until dusk. The smell of smoky meat and vegetables filled the air as neighbors traded stories and tasted the pot until it reached the perfect consistency — so thick a spoon could stand upright.
A Taste of the 18th Century
The Williamsburg Cookbook preserves a traditional version of this beloved stew, adapted from colonial-era notes. It substitutes chicken for game, typically squirrel, and balances the sweetness of corn and tomatoes with the savor of smoked meat. It’s a recipe that honors the past while satisfying modern palates — and one that still feels right served outdoors on a cool fall evening.
1 Stewing Hen (6 pounds) or 2 broiler-fryers (3 pounds each), I used 1 broiler fryer and 6 chicken (lower or drumstick) legs
2 large onions, sliced, I used 8 small pearl onions, plus 1 onion sliced
2 cups okra, cut (optional but really helps thicken the broth)
4 cups fresh or 2 cans (1 pound each) tomatoes
2 cups baby lima beans (I used frozen)
3 medium potatoes, diced
4 cups corn cut from cob or 2 cans corn (1 pound each)
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon sugar
Directions
Cut the chicken into pieces and simmer it in 2 quarts of water or chicken broth until meat slips off the bones, about 2 ½ hours on low. Remove meat and set aside.
Add the raw vegetables to the pot and simmer, uncovered, until the beans and potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.
Added the chicken and seasonings.
Tips: Flavors improve if you let this stand overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it the next day.
Use a heavy Dutch oven or cast-iron pot to recreate the slow, even cooking of the colonial hearth.
The stew should be thick, not soupy — simmer uncovered toward the end to reduce the broth. The okra helps to thicken the broth.
For authenticity, include a touch of smoked ham or bacon for depth.
Serve with cornbread or hot biscuits, just as colonial taverns would have done.
Savoring the Story
When you ladle out a bowl of Brunswick Stew, you’re tasting a piece of early American ingenuity. The recipe’s roots reach back to a time when cooks blended survival with flavor — transforming what they had into something to be shared.
Just as I imagine colonists did centuries ago, I like to enjoy my stew on a cool evening. That doesn’t happen often in Florida where I now live, but I still love this meal.
🕯️ Do You Know?
Both Virginia and Georgia have erected historical markers proclaiming themselves as the birthplace of Brunswick Stew — and both proudly host annual stew festivals to prove it.
I’m known as a big fan of Colonial Williamsburg, but I’d never had the chance to see the Grand Illumination until last December. It’s a tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season, dating back to 1935, but based on the colonial custom of celebrating significant events by firing guns and lighting fireworks. Initially, Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination took place on the first Sunday of December. However, the event has expanded to multiple weekends in recent years, allowing more visitors to enjoy the festivities. It’s become very popular, so make your plans and reservations now.
Fireworks over Williamsburg’s Governors Palace.
As twilight beckons, crowds start to gather on Duke of Gloucester Street. Performances from actors, handbell ringers, and a roving men’s choir from the College of William and Mary entertain.
The crowd begins to gather in front of the Courthouse.
The gala evening festivities begin with the Fife and Drum Corps performance before the Courthouse. A proclamation is read, inviting all to the season of goodwill and peace. Then, the corps marches in a torch-lite parade to the Palace Green, stopping in front of the George Wythe House. Mr. Wythe was a leader of the patriot movement in Virginia, delegate to the Continental Congress and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house, an original structure, also served as General George Washington’s headquarters just before the British siege of Yorktown.
The Fife and Drum Corps play.
A George Wythe reenactor in period costume welcomes the crowd and proceeds to read various quotes as a candle is lit in each window of the mansion—inspired by the colonial practice of placing candles in windows to celebrate life events. The crowd responds with loud “huzzahs,” a 17th-century word of praise shouted at the end of speeches.
George Wythe greets the crowd in front of his home in Colonial Williamsburg.
The Fife and Drum Corps then proceed to a stage before the Governor’s Mansion. The waiting crowd listens to additional holiday music until the highlight of the Grand Illumination at 7 pm, a spectacular fireworks display. Fireworks illuminate the sky over three key locations in the Historic Area: the Governor’s Palace, the Magazine, and the Capitol. A nod to modern technology, all are centrally controlled by a computer, with synchronized timing and choreography of launches.
The Fife and Drum Corps advance toward the Palace .
I have seen many outstanding pyrotechnic productions like those over Cinderella’s Castle in Disney World, but the Williamsburg Grand Illumination is even better. I was blown away!! The dazzling streams of color and the breathtaking explosions, often in red, white, and blue, left me gasping. When I thought they were over, another round of stars and lights shot skyward. Heavenly!
The Grand Illumination lights up the night.
After the celebration, I proceeded down Duke of Gloucester Street, where burning braziers (firewood baskets) led the way. The warmly glowing road felt alive and joyful as residents and visitors meandered up and down past colonial homes and taverns. (Food trucks are brought into Nicolson Street for the evening to help keep the crowds fed.) I had reservations for dinner in Christina Campbell’s Tavern, a favorite.
Burning braziers line the Duke of Gloucester Street.
While in the historic area, I especially enjoyed the holiday decorations made from live, natural products. An annual contest picks a winner, but every building in town displays a unique entry. Colonial Williamsburg also offers special programs during the holiday season: candlelit tours of historic homes, holiday-themed interpretations at various trade shops, and special exhibits showcasing colonial holiday traditions. I saw many trees decorated with old-fashioned ornaments. I also did my shopping for holiday items in the craft shops, markets, and gift stores. The world-class museums offer an alternative activity.
Holiday wreaths and decorations made from natural products.
You can choose to attend three Grand Illumination weekends, December 7, 14, and 21, 2024. For more information: ColonialWilliamsburg.org
Have you been to Lexington begs the answer, “Which one?” Lexington, Massachusetts is the oldest municipality with the name and Lexington, Kentucky is the largest city. There are cities named Lexington in Alabama, California (now a ghost town), Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. I’ve visited three, so far, all memorable for very different reasons.
Massachusetts
When I first hear the name Lexington, my thoughts skip to the famous Battle at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. On April 19, 1775, they became the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War,
The Battle of Lexington
On the night before the clash, Paul Revere and Samuel Prescott galloped on horseback to warn that the British were coming. The first shots were fired just as the sun was rising in Lexington. Eight militiamen died. The confrontation proceeded on to Concord, resulting in many casualties.
Patriot’s Day Parade
Patriot’s Day, originally April 19, is now observed on the third Monday in April. A reenactment of the horse ride and battle coincides with the historical event, so you must get to Lexington’s Battle Green before sunrise. The entire drama takes no more than 40 minutes, but the poignant scene stabbed me to the core, like a wound from the bayonets carried by the soldiers. We often forget the Revolutionary War, but this annual drama pays tribute to those early colonists and the freedoms they sought.
Re-enactors of the Battle at Lexington
Virginia
Another Lexington I’ve visited a few times is Lexington, Virginia, a small town in the Shenandoah Valley. Lexington is home to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Washington & Lee University (where my son graduated), and about seven thousand residents. While Confederate generals are no longer celebrated, I must say I fondly recall the serene Lee Chapel as the campus highlight. This National Historic Landmark is the burial site of Robert E. Lee. His horse, Traveller, is interred outside, and many people leave sugar cubes on the horse’s grave. The church’s basement contains a museum featuring the history of the school, highlighting the time when Lee was the college president.
The Lee Chapel
Other attractions to see include the restored Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson house. Tours revolve around Jackson’s life before the Civil War, including his tenure as a VMI professor.
Lexington’s carefully preserved downtown is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Shops offer fine art, Virginia-made gifts, jewelry and more. Visitors enjoy a carriage ride through the downtown and remember Virginia is for Lovers.
Carriage Ride in downtown Lexington, VA
North Carolina
Lexington, North Carolina, calls itself the Barbeque Capital of the World. No visit is complete without Lexington style barbeque, made from pork shoulders cooked over hardwood coals. This century-old method involves smoking the pork for hours and then chopping or slicing it, leaving bits of crispy, brown skin. The meat comes with a thin ketchup-and-vinegar sauce called “dip,” a distinctive red slaw, hush puppies, and sweet tea. While the meal is nothing fancy, you’ll find it finger-licking good in all of Lexington’s 15 BBQ restaurants.
Smoking the BBQ
Lexington. NC also offers a fascinating collection of artifacts, memorabilia, and furniture from North Carolina’s most famous living artist, Bob Timberlake. Visitors also enjoy the Richard Childress Racing Museum, one of NASCAR’s top race shops and museums. The championship cars driven by Dale Earnhardt Sr. prove to be the most popular. To round out your visit, stop by any of the 19 vineyards and tasting rooms that are earning NC winemakers rave reviews.
Richard Childress Racing Museum
Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, is another famous city, this one known as the Horse Capital of the World, plus the birthplace of Bourbon and Bluegrass music.
Kentucky is horse country.
While it ranks high on my bucket list, I have not been there—yet. Visitors tour Keeneland Race Course and Kentucky Horse Park in the early morning to see workouts, plus walk the pastures at Old Friends, a thoroughbred retirement farm. Don’t miss the 14 bourbon distilleries and their tasting rooms, Mary Todd Lincoln’s historic home, plus the famous Kentucky Castle in the middle of Horse Country.
Again barrels of bourbon
You can’t go wrong in any of four of the cities named Lexington. How many have you seen?
