The Secret Canned Ingredient You Should Add To Brunswick Stew

When the temperatures plummet, a batch of Brunswick stew is just the ticket for warming your cockles. A mixture of meat and vegetables simmered with tomatoes and seasonings, this classic recipe is a testament to the cozy and comforting quality of many traditional Southern eats. Chopped tomatoes are key in Brunswick stew, but there's one secret canned ingredient that's perfect for giving it a welcome warming kick: Rotel tomatoes.

Brunswick stew can be made with many different meats, such as chicken, beef, or pork. In fact, it used to be prepared with game, like rabbit and squirrel, back in the day, making it an extremely flexible dish that also used up any selection of veggies languishing in the fridge. This variation (along with the addition of barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce in some cases) is what sets Brunswick stew apart from beef stew. As canned Rotel tomatoes contain chopped green chili peppers and cilantro, they balance out the sweetness of the barbecue sauce and imbue the finished stew with some warming heat while lending it an inviting, herby aroma. The flavor of the chilies also suffuses the broth with a zesty character and depth that brings out the flavor of the other ingredients, such as the sweetcorn, lima beans, and potatoes. Of course, the best thing about using Rotel tomatoes is that it doesn't require any extra effort; simply open the can and benefit from all that spicy chili pepper power and the sweetness of the vine-ripened tomatoes.

An original can of Rotel tomatoes is ideal for giving Brunswick stew a touch of attitude, but there are several different varieties you can experiment with if you prefer your dish to be spicier or tangier. For instance, you could use a can of Mexican-style Rotel tomatoes, which includes a dash of lime juice concentrate, to give your stew a zingy brightness or opt for fire-roasted tomatoes to lend your dish a charred, smoky, and sweet note. For younger palates, the mild options are ideal, but there's nothing stopping you from heading into super-fiery territory with a can of extra hot Rotel tomatoes that are made with ghost peppers and additional seasonings such as paprika and onion powder. Any leftover tomatoes are incredible for mixing into cream cheese to make a creamy Rotel dip.

If you haven't got any Rotel tomatoes on hand, add some hot sauce to your stew instead (this BBQ recipe for Brunswick stew uses Frank's red hot sauce and two tablespoons of chili powder, but the heat is assuaged with a generous measure of dark brown sugar). Alternatively, toss in some fresh jalapeños as your stew simmers so it can absorb some of their flavor and heat.