Pork Neck Soup
Most of the time when I cook this soup, I do it on a cool day when I crave something hearty yet light. It's one of those recipes that doesn't require much hassle, and the ingredients are usually found at home or at the nearby store. The pork neck provides the main flavor, the vegetables do their job, and the tarragon at the end adds that fresh twist that changes everything.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50-55 minutes
Servings: 5-6
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: soup, suitable for lunch or dinner in any season
Ingredients
- 1 piece of pork neck (about 500-700 g)
- 1 onion
- 1-2 bell peppers
- 1 carrot
- 1 zucchini
- 3-4 potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of rice
- 1 piece of celery (small)
- a few sprigs of parsley
- 200 g sour cream
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- tarragon from a jar (leaves and juice, to taste)
- 2-3 tablespoons of oil
Preparation method
1. Wash the pork neck and cut it into suitable cubes.
2. Clean and wash all the vegetables. Chop the onion finely, and cut the bell pepper, zucchini, carrot (grated), celery, and potatoes into cubes.
3. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion for a few minutes until it softens slightly.
4. Add the grated carrot, the rest of the vegetables (except for the potatoes), and the celery. Stir, and let them sweat for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
5. Place the pork neck cubes over the vegetables in the pot. Add a cup of water (about 200 ml), cover with a lid, and let it boil for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
6. Fill the pot with water (up to about 3 liters) and let it boil over medium heat for 20 minutes from the moment it starts boiling.
7. After this time, add the diced potatoes, tomato paste, and the two tablespoons of rice. Stir and let the soup continue to boil until the meat and vegetables are well cooked (another 20-25 minutes).
8. When the meat is cooked, turn off the heat and let the soup settle for 2-3 minutes.
9. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the sour cream until it becomes a homogeneous mixture.
10. Take a ladle of hot broth from the pot and mix it with the beaten egg and sour cream, then slowly pour the mixture into the soup while stirring constantly.
11. Add tarragon juice to taste and the chopped tarragon leaves. Stir.
12. Let the soup simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes, just enough to bring it to a boil.
13. Finally, turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty soup that doesn't require complicated techniques or special ingredients. The pork, vegetables, and tarragon provide a good balance between flavor and freshness. It tastes good the next day, and if you have vegetables in the fridge, you can easily improvise.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don't cut the meat into too large pieces so it cooks evenly.
- If you have patience, you can skim the broth at the beginning of cooking for a clearer soup.
- Don't add too much rice; two tablespoons are enough to prevent it from becoming too thick.
- The egg and sour cream should be tempered with hot broth to prevent curdling.
Substitutions
- Jarred tarragon can be replaced with fresh tarragon, but add a bit of vinegar at the end for acidity.
- Instead of pork neck, you can use any pork meat with bone if you have it on hand.
- You can skip the zucchini if you don't like it or don't have it.
Variations
- You can add other vegetables to taste – green beans, peas, or even parsnip root.
- If you want a more sour soup, add more tarragon juice or a little lemon.
Serving ideas
- Serve the soup hot, possibly with fresh bread or hot peppers if you like.
- It can be reheated easily the next day.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use boneless meat?
Yes, but the bone gives a richer flavor. If you use boneless meat, adjust the cooking time – it will cook faster.
2. How much tarragon should I add?
It depends on your preferences. I add two tablespoons of tarragon with juice, then taste and add more if I want the soup more aromatic.
3. Can I put the sour cream directly in the pot?
It's safer to temper the egg and sour cream mixture with a bit of hot broth before pouring it into the soup to prevent curdling.
4. Can I use another type of rice?
Yes, any type of short or medium white rice is good, just avoid risotto rice as it becomes too sticky.
5. Can I freeze the soup?
I do not recommend it because the sour cream and egg do not freeze well. It can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutritional values (approximate)
A medium serving has about 320-350 kcal.
Proteins: 20-25 g
Fats: 18-22 g
Carbohydrates: 22-25 g
Values may vary depending on the exact amount of meat, vegetables, and sour cream used. The soup is filling, with a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Storage and reheating
The soup keeps well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. It can be reheated over low heat, stirring occasionally. If it sits longer, the rice may absorb the broth, but you can add a little water or meat broth when reheating. Freezing is not recommended due to the sour cream and egg.
Most of the time when I cook this soup, I do it on a cool day when I crave something hearty yet light. It's one of those recipes that doesn't require much hassle, and the ingredients are usually found at home or at the nearby store. The pork neck provides the main flavor, the vegetables do their job, and the tarragon at the end adds that fresh twist that changes everything.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50-55 minutes
Servings: 5-6
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: soup, suitable for lunch or dinner in any season
Ingredients
- 1 piece of pork neck (about 500-700 g)
- 1 onion
- 1-2 bell peppers
- 1 carrot
- 1 zucchini
- 3-4 potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of rice
- 1 piece of celery (small)
- a few sprigs of parsley
- 200 g sour cream
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- tarragon from a jar (leaves and juice, to taste)
- 2-3 tablespoons of oil
Preparation method
1. Wash the pork neck and cut it into suitable cubes.
2. Clean and wash all the vegetables. Chop the onion finely, and cut the bell pepper, zucchini, carrot (grated), celery, and potatoes into cubes.
3. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion for a few minutes until it softens slightly.
4. Add the grated carrot, the rest of the vegetables (except for the potatoes), and the celery. Stir, and let them sweat for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
5. Place the pork neck cubes over the vegetables in the pot. Add a cup of water (about 200 ml), cover with a lid, and let it boil for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
6. Fill the pot with water (up to about 3 liters) and let it boil over medium heat for 20 minutes from the moment it starts boiling.
7. After this time, add the diced potatoes, tomato paste, and the two tablespoons of rice. Stir and let the soup continue to boil until the meat and vegetables are well cooked (another 20-25 minutes).
8. When the meat is cooked, turn off the heat and let the soup settle for 2-3 minutes.
9. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the sour cream until it becomes a homogeneous mixture.
10. Take a ladle of hot broth from the pot and mix it with the beaten egg and sour cream, then slowly pour the mixture into the soup while stirring constantly.
11. Add tarragon juice to taste and the chopped tarragon leaves. Stir.
12. Let the soup simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes, just enough to bring it to a boil.
13. Finally, turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty soup that doesn't require complicated techniques or special ingredients. The pork, vegetables, and tarragon provide a good balance between flavor and freshness. It tastes good the next day, and if you have vegetables in the fridge, you can easily improvise.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don't cut the meat into too large pieces so it cooks evenly.
- If you have patience, you can skim the broth at the beginning of cooking for a clearer soup.
- Don't add too much rice; two tablespoons are enough to prevent it from becoming too thick.
- The egg and sour cream should be tempered with hot broth to prevent curdling.
Substitutions
- Jarred tarragon can be replaced with fresh tarragon, but add a bit of vinegar at the end for acidity.
- Instead of pork neck, you can use any pork meat with bone if you have it on hand.
- You can skip the zucchini if you don't like it or don't have it.
Variations
- You can add other vegetables to taste – green beans, peas, or even parsnip root.
- If you want a more sour soup, add more tarragon juice or a little lemon.
Serving ideas
- Serve the soup hot, possibly with fresh bread or hot peppers if you like.
- It can be reheated easily the next day.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use boneless meat?
Yes, but the bone gives a richer flavor. If you use boneless meat, adjust the cooking time – it will cook faster.
2. How much tarragon should I add?
It depends on your preferences. I add two tablespoons of tarragon with juice, then taste and add more if I want the soup more aromatic.
3. Can I put the sour cream directly in the pot?
It's safer to temper the egg and sour cream mixture with a bit of hot broth before pouring it into the soup to prevent curdling.
4. Can I use another type of rice?
Yes, any type of short or medium white rice is good, just avoid risotto rice as it becomes too sticky.
5. Can I freeze the soup?
I do not recommend it because the sour cream and egg do not freeze well. It can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutritional values (approximate)
A medium serving has about 320-350 kcal.
Proteins: 20-25 g
Fats: 18-22 g
Carbohydrates: 22-25 g
Values may vary depending on the exact amount of meat, vegetables, and sour cream used. The soup is filling, with a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Storage and reheating
The soup keeps well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. It can be reheated over low heat, stirring occasionally. If it sits longer, the rice may absorb the broth, but you can add a little water or meat broth when reheating. Freezing is not recommended due to the sour cream and egg.