Stew/Pie, Don't Bother Me

[stoutfellow]

Phase one of this year's Thanksgiving banquet is underway: a big batch of Brunswick stew. A few modifications proved necessary. I forgot to get any celery; more importantly, the recipe called for two pounds of de-boned BBQ chicken. The closest I could come was a two-pound rotisserie chicken, not de-boned (and hence less than two pounds of meat). I wound up pulling the flesh off the bones with my fingers and setting aside the bones, which still had a little meat on them. I wound up sticking the plate of bones in the microwave for a minute (the chicken was already cooked) and gnawing the meat off. The now-pristine bones went into the garbage pail, to Buster and Gracie's disappointment. (Yes, I know better than to give chicken bones to dogs.)

I'll start making the pecan pie in about six hours. That way it will be done and cooling before the stew is ready. Salad-in-a-bag (with toppings-in-a-bag and dressing-in-a-bottle) will be the third part.

Should be good.

Comments

[mmegaera]

Did you know that Brunswick stew was originally a recipe for cooking squirrel? My mother (who grew up in the rural South during the Great Depression) ate Brunswick stew as a child after my grandfather would go hunting and come home with a "mess" (her word) of squirrels.

When my ex-husband did the same, he skinned them and turned them over to me. I, too, made Brunswick stew. He and his brother chowed down on it with great enjoyment until he noticed I was not doing the same. He asked me why, and I told him. When skinned, but before they're dismembered, squirrels look a great deal like little people. We ended up throwing the rest of the stew out [wry g].

[stoutfellow]

I think I remember you telling that story once before, but I didn't remember it being about Brunswick stew. In any event, Joy of Cooking and every recipe I looked at on-line avoided the topic of rodents altogether.

[mmegaera]

Sorry. Didn't mean to repeat myself [g].

I think I got my recipe from Joy, but it was an old edition.

[stoutfellow]

Ouch. That last bit may have come off as disputing what you said; that wasn't my intent. I meant more that I am relieved that none of the recipes I found mentioned squirrels.

My apologies if it offended you.

[mmegaera]

ROFL No, no. No offense taken. In fact I was rather amused.

I'm terrible at remembering what stories I've told to who.