This hearty soup is a labor of love that rewards patience with deep, complex flavors. Starting with a robust stock made from simmering meat bones and aromatics for hours, the base becomes incredibly rich and gelatinous. The process involves two stages: first, extracting maximum flavor from the bones and vegetables, then creating a fresh vegetable and pasta medley in the strained broth. The result is a comforting bowl filled with tender shredded meat, soft carrots, celery, and potatoes. It is the perfect meal for cold evenings, offering warmth and sustenance without being overly heavy. While simple in concept, the long simmering time transforms humble ingredients into a gourmet experience. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the savory broth.
My Hearty Soup
Description
This hearty soup is a labor of love that rewards patience with deep, complex flavors. Starting with a robust stock made from simmering meat bones and aromatics for hours, the base becomes incredibly rich and gelatinous. The process involves two stages: first, extracting maximum flavor from the bones and vegetables, then creating a fresh vegetable and pasta medley in the strained broth. The result is a comforting bowl filled with tender shredded meat, soft carrots, celery, and potatoes. It is the perfect meal for cold evenings, offering warmth and sustenance without being overly heavy. While simple in concept, the long simmering time transforms humble ingredients into a gourmet experience. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the savory broth.Ingredients
Directions
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Place water, meat, poultry seasoning, garlic, large onions, celery chunks, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large stock pot.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
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Cover and simmer for 4 to 8 hours, skimming foam occasionally.
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Remove the pot from heat and allow the meat to cool in the broth.
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Remove meat from the broth and place it on a cutting board to cool completely.
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Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all solids.
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Chill the strained stock briefly to solidify fat for easy removal, then discard fat.
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Strip meat from bones and skin, shredding or chopping it into bite-sized pieces.
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Return the clear stock to the pot and bring to a boil.
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Add diced carrots, diced celery, diced Spanish onion, frozen green beans, cubed potatoes, sliced mushrooms, and noodles or pasta.
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Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables and pasta are tender.
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Stir in the shredded meat and heat through.
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Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste.
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Serve hot with fresh rolls or bread.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 234.8kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6.0g10%
- Saturated Fat 1.0g5%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 12.8mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 56.2g19%
- Dietary Fiber 19.5g78%
- Sugars 0.0g
- Protein 5.7g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
The original recipe lists "Water" and "Bay Leaves" in the ingredients but the directions call for meat, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, green beans, pasta, garlic, and seasonings. Ensure you have all necessary ingredients for a complete soup.
For the meat, chicken, turkey, rabbit, or beef bones work well. Using bones with some meat attached adds flavor to the stock and provides the shredded meat for the final dish.
If using a slow cooker, you can set it to low for 8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Ensure the liquid covers the ingredients.
To thicken the soup if desired, you can mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold water and stir it in during the last few minutes of cooking, or serve with extra pasta.
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Note that pasta may continue to absorb liquid and soften in storage; consider adding fresh pasta when reheating if freezing.
Adjust cooking time for vegetables based on size. Smaller dice will cook faster.
