We’ve already had our first snow and Thanksgiving is still almost 2 weeks away! It’s cold. It’s so cold that dog walking is only fun for the dog who is an Irish Terrier and therefore innately insane. We were so cold a couple of days ago that we bought some self-serve homemade potato soup at a vegetable stand near Waymart, P.A. What there was of it (all the other cold people had been there ahead of us and ate all the chicken noodle soup and most of the potato soup) was good with discernible pieces of potato.
It’s 11:30 a.m. , 32 F (0 C)and is threatening to drop to 22 F (-5 C), probably when we’re walking the dog ⛄. Earlier, inspired by some internet barley soup maker (I’ve forgotten who), I pulled together some ingredients for a large pot of hearty soup to be eaten before AND after walking the dog 😉
I saw some smoked neck bones at the Super Duper a couple of weeks ago and brought them home as freezer fodder. I like the way they cooked up. You could probably make a sandwich with this. My husband wanted to do just that. Over-ruled.
Smoked Neck Bone and Barley Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, coarsely chopped
3 celery branches, halved vertically, then sliced
3 carrots, halved vertically, then sliced
1 1/2 lbs smoked neck bones
3 large branches parsley
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cans chicken broth
7-8 cups water
2 cans diced tomatoes
6-8 small red potatoes, skin on, cut into chunks
1 cup barley
Saute the onions, celery and carrots with the olive oil in a large pot until the celery and onion are just soft. Add the neck bones, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, salt, pepper, chicken broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and barley, bring back to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Remove the parsley branches and neck bones. Discard the parsley. Remove the meat from the neck bones, coarsely chop and return to the pot.
That sounds very good – it’s not something I’ve seen on sale here. I don’t envy you the cold, it’s still 12 – 14º C here in the daytime 🙂
You can substitute smoked ham hocks for the neck bones.
🙂
Ooh that’s horribly cold! Gorgeous ingredients for a wonderful soup. And I think all terriers are a bit bonkers – I know, we have two 😉
One IT is more than I deserve 😀
How much effort did it take?
Easy.
Wow, really love this Rosemary, can imagine the lovely smokiness of the soup, just what I need in chilly november.
Cheers
Marcus
Hi Marcus. The best part was the smokiness of the neck bones. I will do this again, probably a little bit differently 🙂
What would you do differently?
I won’t know that until I do it again 😀
Looks so delicious, I wish I’d decided to make this for our Sunday lunch!
Thank you Katie.
Cool salt and pepper shakers. Reminds me of marzipan pigs that we use to make in Germany.
Thank you Daniel. I bought those in France or Germany.
Beautiful and rustic – right up my street and you know it 🙂
Thank you Frugal.
This looks incredibly delicious!
Reblogged this on Empires, Cannibals, and Magic Fish Bones and commented:
Another great recipe using bones!
Super przepis , na pewno wypróbuje. Ładne zdjęcia.
Thank you Marzenare.
Reblogged this on Cappuccino.
Pinned and made this tonight. LOVE it! It’s a keeper!
It was -20 F this morning and will get up to 0F for a high today in central Wisconsin. I was looking for an appropriate soup for dinner and will give this a try. I have unsmoked neck bones a one smoked hock, so it’ll be a little different but with some hillbilly corn bread should fend of the cold. Thanks
You’ll have the flavor with that ham hock and the goodness with those neckbones. I want some 🙂
I’m wondering about using a Slow-Cooker for this recipe-?
I think so Douglas. Soups and stews seem to be made for a slow cooker.