Pulled Pork Soup

What could be more timely than a comforting bowl of soup?

Pulled Pork Soup

Makes about 8 quarts or 25 hearty servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For the pork shoulder:

1 small pork shoulder or pork butt, approximately 5-6 pounds

4 Tablespoons olive oil

Rub pork on all sides with Pork Rub, and refrigerate for at least two 2 hours or overnight.

Pre heat grill to medium heat.

Brush pork shoulder with olive oil. Roast pork on all sides about 1 hour until brown and not fully cooked. 

Optional: Hot smoke with wood chips for a smokier flavored soup.

Remove and place pork in soup pot. Place soup pot on side burner of grill or on grill top, and continue with pea soup recipe as below.

Pork Rub

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon each: black pepper, garlic powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, thyme

1/2 teaspoon each: nutmeg, allspice, sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in a tightly sealed container.

To prepare soup:

2 pounds yellow split peas, rinsed in cold water

8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine

2 cups sweet onion, chopped small

2 cups celery, chopped small

2 cups carrots, chopped small 

8 quarts cold water

4 cups potatoes, scrubbed well and diced

4 cups Kale, chopped

3 bay leaves

1 Tablespoon hot sauce

fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the split peas in a large bowl, drain the peas and discard the water.

Add browned pork shoulder to a very large soup pot.

Preheat pot and add the garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly brown.

Add the water, bay leaves, hot sauce, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 hours or until the pork is tender. Remove pork, cool, pull and chop meat into small pieces. Put pork back into soup.

Add potatoes, split peas, kale and simmer for 1 more hour or until peas are tender. 

If you like a creamy soup, puree or pulse half of the soup. Return to the soup to the pot, bring to a boil to blend, then serve.

Good for you fact:

Making a warm bowl of pea soup may be good for those cold fall months, but did you know that it’s good for your heart as well? Pea soup is loaded with potassium and fiber, which reduces your blood pressure.

Tips for picking out the perfect pea:

There are two types of split peas, green and yellow. Both have the same nutritional value and cooking time, yet some yellow peas may have a milder taste then the sometimes sweeter green pea. Some peas need to be soaked overnight and looked over to make sure there are no pebbles or bad peas in your selection. Pea soup ranges from smooth to chunky with added vegetables and or especially smoked or grilled meats.

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Gameday Gumbo

enjoy GHL six times weekly T,W,TH & F on Create TV

..good gumbo takes time, a great gumbo takes longer…

Whether it’s a stew or soup-like, there is nothing more satisfying than a hearty bowl of Gumbo. 

Gumbo is truly Cajun and the official state dish of Louisiana; one that celebrates their heritage of sustenance off the land. I have on several occasions been part of a true Cajun 'Gumbo' party which is an all-day outdoor celebration. There is nothing like cooking a gumbo with a little outdoor flavor - especially if the meats or vegetables have been pre-grilled or smoked before being added to the gumbo pot. 

There are numerous ingredients that can be added to a gumbo, but it's really all about utilizing what’s on hand. Chicken, duck + rabbit are the usual meats, along with ham and smoked sausage. A seafood gumbo can contain shrimp, crab and oysters. However, the basics ingredients used in any gumbo are the “holy trinity” consisting of onion, celery and green peppers, thickened with a dark roux.  

Additionally, the make up of a Cajun Gumbo is the use of heritage ingredients such as the African vegetable okra, together with the cooking influences of local Choctaw Indians, French, German and Spanish settlers. The addition of tomatoes is more Creole and not of Cajun influence. I believe the addition of tomatoes with all the other ingredients in the gumbo pot provides a wonderful mix of culture and full flavor. With such a rich culture as Louisiana has it is important to note that the preparing of a gumbo goes far beyond the making of this ‘stew’ and really brings together the community.  

This full flavored gumbo is a lighter version than the Cajun traditional, yielding to the heavier butter and flour versions making a more traditional stew or soup. However, the basics of broth and rice carry true and the rest is up to you. Make it seafood with crab, shrimp, or crawfish. Or, with chicken, duck or all vegetable.

George's Gumbo

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adapted from George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, diced

1/2 pound smoked sausage (chorizo or kielbasa), chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 cup okra, fresh or frozen, sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon each, oregano, thyme, sage

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon hot sauce, or more to taste

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup chicken broth (for thickening)

Fresh ground black pepper

Optional: 

1 pound large (26-30) size shrimp, peeled & devein, save shells for broth

2 cups cooked steamed white or brown rice

Heat a large soup pot to a medium temperature. Add the olive oil and chicken, and smoked sausage. Add the onion, and cook until a light golden color, stirring occasionally. Add the green bell pepper, green onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, hot sauce, and fresh ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the okra and gumbo file. Simmer for at least an additional 35 to 45 minutes. Additional time of slow simmering will intensify flavors.

Before serving, add shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes until done. 

Serving suggestion: serve with a scoop of steamy hot rice

Note: If using shrimp, cook shrimp shells in chicken broth for ten minutes to extract additional flavor, strain shells and use broth.

Gumbo file can be found in the spice section of your market.

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Corn Tortilla Soup

In NYC Sunday 1/25?  Join George for a meet & greet at the NY Times Travel Show at Create TV Exhibit (#978). He'll share his Signature Seasoned North Fork Chips for the first 100 who stop by. And, one lucky winner will be selected to receive an autographed cookbook. 

All Natural, Farm Fresh, Grown and Kettle Cooked From Sidor Farms. North Fork Chips Original Chef George Hirsch's Signature Seasoning dusted with Herb & Spice and a Smoky Garlic Kick!

The making of tortillas dates back approximately 10,000 BC, according to Mayan legend. Tortillas are really not much different today. Tortilla soup is ideal to serve up on numerous occasions from a game-day party to even a church supper. The ingredients are universally available along with it's wide appeal. I've prepared this recipe around the globe with several variations including fish, shellfish, beef or pork.

Taking the time to pre-grill the chicken, sausage and vegetables in this recipe makes a great flavor enhancer to this soup. After-all, when tailgating, the entire soup would be prepared on a grill. I've also included instructions for this recipe to be fully cooked indoors, in case the snow happens to bury your grill, or just dig that grill out!

Chef George's Corn Tortilla Soup Corn Tortilla Soup

Makes 4 servings | Adapted from Know Your Fire cookbook

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 pound boneless chicken thighs*

2 chorizos or spicy sausages*

Olive oil

2 ears of corn or 1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 sweet onion, *thickly sliced

2 red bell pepper, *halved and seeded

2 jalapeño peppers, *split and seeded

3-4 plum tomatoes, *halved

1 head caramelized garlic, pureed

3 scallions, chopped

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 cup tomato sauce

6 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon hot sauce

3 (8-inch) corn or flour tortillas

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

* Chop into small pieces if not pre-grilling the chicken, chorizos and vegetables.

Pre heat the grill to medium high if grilling vegetables and meat. Or, directly add vegetables and meat into a large soup pot if making indoors.

Brush chicken thighs with olive oil. Grill chicken and chorizos 7-8 minutes on each side. Remove, cool and cut into half inch pieces.

If using fresh corn, grill the corn. And, if grilling vegetables - brush with olive oil and grill 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove, cool and chop into small pieces. Or, if not grilling vegetables chop into small pieces for the next step.

Pre heat a large soup pot to medium temperature. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, all the grilled vegetables, chicken, chorizo, tomatoes, cumin, and tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes. 

Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and hot sauce. bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a low temperature grill place the tortillas on grill and toast lightly on both sides. Cut the tortillas into strips 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. Tortillas may also be cut into strips and lightly toasted in a hot oven- if not toasting on a grill. Add 3/4 of the tortilla strips to the soup during the last 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and season with pepper and cilantro. 

Serve hot soup topped with cheese and remaining tortilla strips. 

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George’s Homemade kitchen Christmas Pick 5

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Enjoy my Bologna Inspired  Tortellini Basil Soup with warm Biscuits and a crisp Fennel & Green Bean Salad.

Holiday on the Cutting Edge

Need a gift inspiration this holiday?

I’ve used Mercer’s knives for almost thirty years; they were the knives I choose for my culinary students back then because they deserved the best. This is quality that lasts a lifetime and I am proud to have Mercer Cutlery partner with me for my cooking and lifestyle series on public television. You may even say I am living on the cutting edge!  

Once you have a good knife, sharpen your knife skills by chopping veggies for my warm and comforting Tuscan Artichoke Soup.  

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