Winter Soups

[racfish]

During the Fall and Winter months I really enjoy making a good bean or pea soup with a ham hock floating in it. I take my crock pot add 10 cups of water to about 2.5 cups of Great Northern Beans,Some diced potatoe and or 1/2 cup of pearl barley. I add Pepper ,salt (if using a Ham Hock remember they are salted) granulated onion,granulated garlic, and sriracha.Sriracha will add heat to it like a Tabasco. I turn on my crockpot on 8-10 hours Grab my gear fish and come home to the best smelling bean soup ever. Its actually more like a porridge, or a thick soup. The fat in the ham hock helps thicken and congel (sp) the soup. For me it'll last all week refridgerated . I take the ammount I want and re-heat it up. Good eating...

[G-Man]

I like using a good ham bone as well to create my stock for soup, come winter time. Throw it in with plenty of meat on it and the stock comes out great! I simmer the ham bone until the cartilage\meniscus starts to separate from the bone, which typically takes a couple of hours. I then remove the meat and bone(s) from the pot and add the rest of the ingredients, returning the meat after I have separated out the bone, fat and other undesirable parts. I've been using 50/50 lentils and split peas for a base and adding onions\leek, celery, carrots and potatoes to round out the soup. Spice it up anyway you want, I typically use lots of black pepper, a bit of garlic and chili powder. Served with a good chunk of sourdough bread, it is hard to beat.

[racfish]

Ham bones are awesome . Any type of bone works well with stock. When I make fish stock I add the center section off filets. There is something about the bones that add that Gelatenous texture to soups and stocks. Being a single person I seldom make hams. Too much for me. Last New years I did a whole ham with my special rub on it. I sliced it up and had to freeze the meat there was so much. I make soups and take them in my wide mouth stanley thermos. When everyone on the river freezes Im sweating. LOL...

[wolverine]

For me; the best part of winter eats is the soups. I've worked through a couple of beef stews, pea (green & yellow), navy bean w/ham, mixed bean w/ham. For lunch today I finished off the leftover "boiled dinner" that I've been eating the past 4 days. Crockpot, inexpensive pork roast, can of chicken stock, carrot, onion, garlic, rutabaga, black pepper, pinch of salt, and enough water to cover. When the pork is done I throw in some large diced potato, and a head of cabbage thats cut into wedges. Give it a good squirt of vinegar and let it cook into the cabbage is tender.

[racfish]

Soups are becomming the in thing at lots of Seattles ,New York,Chicago restaurants. I look at a crockpot stew as comfort food,whether it is beans or w/meats. I used to watch my grandmother and mother cook. In our days soups were a staple. In my pantry I have Great Northern,Kidney,Butter Beans, lentils and peas. I also eat lot of grain foods. I said before take a thermos of soup or beans fishing and it warms you up. I'll plunk in my easy chair with my soup and some coffee and Im good the whole day.

[G-Man]

There is something about the bones that add that Gelatenous texture to soups and stocks.

Most of the gelatin you are getting from the hock comes from the cartilage and any skin that may still be attached. The other bit of the hock that adds to the texture of the soup, and a good deal of nutirents, is the marrow. Every so often I find good beef shanks and use them as well.

[racfish]

After I brought this up I defrosted a hock from the freezer. Before I hit the river tomorrow Im msaking a crockpot of Great northern bean with smoked hock. With some decent luck maybe I'll be eating bean soup and fresh Steelie for supper. I cant wait.

[Gringo Pescador]

I am a crock pot guy. My wife never heard of one before coming to the US. She uses a pressure cooker for everything - puts out some damn good chilli, soups & stews in record time though!

[racfish]

My beans came out perfect. Anyone fishing the Sky tomorrow will know where I am.I'll be able to clear a spot anywhere. Muahaha.

[gonnahookit]

There is something about the bones that add that Gelatenous texture to soups and stocks.

Most of the gelatin you are getting from the hock comes from the cartilage and any skin that may still be attached. The other bit of the hock that adds to the texture of the soup, and a good deal of nutirents, is the marrow. Every so often I find good beef shanks and use them as well.

More specifically the collagen in the cartilage and skin (and other assorted animal parts) which is also used commercially to make gelatin, like Knox brand.

And a stock isnt a good stock unless it's nearly jello when chilled. Just my 2 cents.

For winter soups, try using things like parsnips instead of carrots, diced celery root instead of potatos, or turnips and rutabagas. Pretty funky tasting items as-is, but great with hearty meats, and excellent with most wild game in in the fall and winter.

[Bodofish]

I've already started down that path! It starts out as a hearty beef and veg soup and on about the second day it gets more meat and some spuds and becomes stew!!!!!

[racfish]

Smoked hocks are great.Its probably one of my favorite pieces of meats for soups and or stews. I find the best hocks are from Owens in Cle Elum or Western Meats in Tumwater. They are packed with meat and just enough fats to make a perfect soup. My two favorites are Great Northern Beans and Split pea soups. I take it in my thermos for fishing steelies on those cold winter mornings. Everyone else is drinking Gas station coffee. LOL...

[Bodofish]

Owens Meats... Yummmmmmmm.... Yes, I'd like that bacon just a smidg thicker please. Fischer's in Issy is a good second, it helps to have grown up there and pal'ed with the boys while growing up.

[racfish]

Where in Sissyquaw is Fischers? Ive heard of it as being a real nice live butcher. Does he have the full meal deal there. Meaning Pork, Beef ,Chickens, Smoked meats ect..... ? I dont take the long drives thinking I'll be saving money,I do it cuz I like eating primo meats.Ive gotten smoked parts at Safeway, Krogers, and Wally world. Its Kaka compared to the guys I buy from.

[oneshot]

i know this is boring.. but i love making chicken soup in winter.. i don;t use noddles.. just chicken and veggies..

[G-Man]

i know this is boring.. but i love making chicken soup in winter.. i don;t use noddles.. just chicken and veggies..

I do that as well and spice it up with plenty of cracked black pepper, fresh dill and touch of cayenne. Just add some sweet corn and diced tomatoes and it will remind you of the tortilla soups that are becoming more and more popular these days.

[BentRod]

I like to make chicken and sausage gumbo in the winter. We have found that buying one of the whole roasted chickens from Costco or Safeway is a great time saver. As soon as I get the chicken home, I bone out all the meat and set it aside which is easier when it's still warm. If I have time I'll toss the bones in the oven on a baking sheet and roast them for 30-45 minutes to really brown them up. I'll skip that if I don't have time. Those then go into the stockpot with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, black pepper, bay leaf, salt, and a touch of tomato paste. Add water to cover the stuff and simmer it for an hour or more. Awesome stock.
I make a roux out of olive oil and flour, which I let get between peanut butter to brick in color. That and my stock is the chicken stock is my base. Add Andouille or whatever sausage you have along with the chicken meat, green onion, bell pepper, and celery. Season with poultry seasoning, worcestershire, clove, bay leaf, a splash of Tobasco.
Served over white rice....so good.

[Bodofish]

Where in Sissyquaw is Fischers? Ive heard of it as being a real nice live butcher. Does he have the full meal deal there. Meaning Pork, Beef ,Chickens, Smoked meats ect..... ? I dont take the long drives thinking I'll be saving money,I do it cuz I like eating primo meats.Ive gotten smoked parts at Safeway, Krogers, and Wally world. Its Kaka compared to the guys I buy from.

Yes, Fischers Meats has the full meal deal and a web site too. They're right on Front Street in Old Downtown. They're the oldest business operating in Issaquah.

http://fischermeatsnw.com/

[Fiadfisher]

I'll never forget the taste of creamy potato, cheese & ham soup ...Yummmm!

[racfish]

I made a pea soup this weekend. I put diced potatoes in my soup along with a lil barley and of course a 1/2 of a hock in it. After mowing raking leaves and trimming for winter that soup really hit the spot. I froze half of it and saved the rest for the week. I was gonna put some shredded carrots in it but then I got a lil lazy on shredding.