Published by Sheena Strain, last updated
Recipe
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 yourInstant 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 for8 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 Red Beans and Rice
- Insant pot Ribs Memphis Style
- Instant Pot Collard Greens
- Instant Pot Hoppin’ John
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.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Pressure Release: 5 mins
Total Time: 27 minutes
Total Carbs: 39 g
Protein: 48 g
Servings: 8
5 from 6 votes
Ingredients
- 2.5lbskinless chicken thighs (bone in), 1133g
- 2cupslow sodium gluten free chicken broth, 500mls
- 28ozfire roasted crushed tomatoes, 800g (approx.)
- 1tspsalt
- 1tsppepper
- 1tsphot sauce
- 15ozbutter beans, canned, 425g
- 15ozbaby lima beans, canned, 425g
- 2mediumpotatoes, peeled and diced
- 1smallyellow onion, diced
- 15ozcreamed corn, 425g
- 1lbpulled pork (optional – see notes), 454g
Instructions
Turn on the sauté function on yourInstant Potor other pressure cooker and sauté the chopped onions in a little oil for a few minutes until they are translucent.
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.
Lock the lid, turn the steam release vent to 'sealing' and using the manual or pressure cook settings, adjust it to cook for8 minutes.
When the cook time time is up, allow the unit to reduce pressure on its own without opening the steam release vent (Natural Release) for5 minutes,then carefully release the pressure and open the lid
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.
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
Add back the cooked chicken, peeled diced potatoes, creamed corn, and cooked pulled pork if you are using it.
Lock the lid, turn the steam vent to 'sealing' and using the 'manual' or 'pressure cook' button, adjust it to cook for 4 minutes.
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.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Brunswick Stew
Amount Per Serving
Calories 629Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 189mg63%
Sodium 1009mg44%
Potassium 1253mg36%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 48g96%
Vitamin A 795IU16%
Vitamin C 14.8mg18%
Calcium 81mg8%
Iron 4.9mg27%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional information on Noshtastic is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Author: Sheena Strain
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
About Sheena Strain
Sheena Strain is the proud owner of Noshtastic, a gluten free website that specializes in easy family meals including Low Carb, Keto, Paleo, Whole30, and many pressure cooker recipes.
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Holly Hudspeth says
My grandfather was a cook in the Navy. He used to make this once a Fall in 3 huge black kettles outside. This is how I learned how to peel potatoes. We would have a block party to share the dinner with all of our neighbors. They all brought dishes but everyone was there for his stew. It is cooking in my Instant Pot right now. The first meal I ever cooked was Mrs. McPhearon’s Brunswick Stew from a can. It is pretty good but I bet this will blow it away. Thank you so much for sharing. This brought great memories.
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Teresa Vaught says
Hi there so I
Am having trouble getting my potatoes to cook in this stew. Help:)Reply
Sheena Strain says
Hi Teresa, check that you have the silicone ring properly set in the lid (if you see steam coming out around the edges of the lid then it’s not in right) also check that the weight on the top is set to ‘sealing’ and is closed. Other than that, perhaps the size of your potatoes is too big? If you have more details on how long you were cooking them for and what size they are I’ll try to help
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Mandy says
My mom used to make this all the time growing up. It was my favorite stew, and as good as it always was, this recipe is the best I’ve ever tasted…..shhhh. Don’t tell mom.Reply
Sheena Strain says
Hi Mandy! I won’t tell I promise!
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Scarlett Greene says
My potatoes weren’t cooked all the way :/ I guess I did it wrong but I added chili sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Sooo goodReply
Sheena Strain says
Hey Scarlett,
you didn’t do anything wrong but just like if you were making this on the on the stovetop and the potatoes were underdone all you need to do next time is simply cook it a little longer until the potatoes are fully cooked. Pressure Cooking is not an exact science and the size that you cut the potatoes will affect how long they needed to be cooked.
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KJ says
How do you cook your pulled pork? Just plain in the IP with salt and pepper?
Thanks!
Reply
Sheena Strain says
Hi KJ,I just added a little note to the end of the recipe, thank you! So for this recipe I actually just bought ready cooked gluten free pulled pork in a small pack at the grocery store. I do have a recipe for Instant Pot Pulled Pork (search my recipe index) you could use that if you want to cook your own.
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Kristine Kiley says
This turned out fabulous! It was a huge hit and just perfect for a cold snowy day. I made the recipe as written with the exception of boneless chicken thighs. This recipe made a lot of servings which was just fine with us the leftovers just kept getting better and better!
Can’t wait to make this for company.
Thank you SheenaReply
Sheena Strain says
Hi Kristine, I’m so glad you loved the Brunswick stew and that the recipe worked well!!
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