pot of meat soup

[ratherbefishin]

One thing I love on a blustery wet day is a big pot of meat soup.I get my biggest cast iron pot hot and start off with a big onion, and while that is browning in some vegetable oil, add chopped celery, and mushrooms.Let that sautee well and add some chopped carrot,and a couple of quarts of water.To that add a 1/2 cup of pot barley, and let it simmer away, adding some salt and pepper, soy sauce and wosterchire, and a couple of tablespoons of dried onion soup mix and then a cup of frozen green peas.
Last of all I add some meat-this time it was previously pressure cooked neck bones and the heart that I had frozen in broth when I butchered a little forkhorn buck.I thicken it with a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch- not enough to make it thick, but just enough to takle a way the watery consistency.That simmers all afternoon and will be ready for dinner- and however long it lasts.Good with home made baguettes from my outdoor oven.

[DayBird]

Sounds great. We've never cooked with barley. Perhaps we should give it a try.

[ratherbefishin]

if I don't have barley- or want a variation, I break up fettucinni into inch long pieces and use that.

[Jan Doling]

Instead of cornstarch, I smash potatoes to thicken it to a porridge consistency.

[ratherbefishin]

yes, the nice thing about making a soup or stew is you can pretty well put in what ever is at hand and it still tastes good.I use cornstarch because I don't want it too thick, but for variety I add a can of mushroom soup and milkpowder with some flour to thicken it.I don't use actual potatoe cubes if I plan on freezing it-they don't seem to freeze well, although mashed potatoes certainly do thicken it.Generally what happens is the pot of soup only lasts a couple of days anyway-and is better the second day,as the seasoning blends.I use milk powder in place of cream for cream based soups- less fat.