2 fat hens, dressed, cut, chilled (about 10 lb.)
4 lb. onion, chopped
7 lb. Irish potatoes, cut in pieces
7 sm. cans tomatoes (14 c.)
4 cans corn = (3 crushed, 1 niblet) or (8 c. crushed, 2 c. niblet)
6 cans small butterbeans (12 c.)
1 1/2 lb. fat back (salt pork)
1 lb. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 pods red hot pepper
Salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste

Put chicken in a large pot, cover with water, add 2 teaspoons salt and stew until done -- 2 to 3 hours. Cool and remove bones. Cut into pieces.

In a large iron pot outdoors, pour in 5 to 7 gallons of water 8 to 9 hours before serving time. Build a fire under pot and boil water. Add onions, tomatoes and cooked chicken with broth. Boil gently to prevent sticking. Stir occasionally. Cut fat back into 1/2 inch cubes and fry in skillet until light brown. Pour fat and meat into pot and stir. After mixture has cooked slowly for about 2 hours, add butterbeans. Let mixture cook 3 more hours. Stir occasionally. Peel and cut potatoes in small pieces, add to stew. (If you plan to freeze stew, cook potatoes in separate pot until done. Add potato water to mixture. Mash and add potatoes.) Add sugar and chopped pepper pods. Add salt to taste. Stir constantly until stew is done. About 15 minutes before fire is pulled from beneath the pot add corn. Add butter 5 minutes before stew is done. Stir. Let pot cool. When safe, cover pot with cloth. Mixture will cool enough for serving in an hour or 2. SERVES ABOUT 30.

(In season, use fresh vegetables in place of canned.)

When freezing, chill small amounts in Pyrex dishes in refrigerator, then pack in sterile pint or quart freezer boxes. Leave 1 inch head space if glass jars are used.