Snapper Soup
Submitted by suzq
Classic Philadelphia snapper soup made with snapping turtle meat, veal knuckles, dry sherry, and tomatoes. A rich, old-school Pennsylvania tradition simmered for hours.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
READY
Snapper soup is a Philadelphia institution, and this is the real deal.
Not a drop of red snapper in sight. “Snapper” here means snapping turtle, and the soup builds its depth from roasted veal knuckles browned with onions, carrots, and celery, then simmered for three and a half hours in beef stock with tomatoes, thyme, marjoram, and cloves.
The turtle meat cooks separately in dry sherry with a dash of Tabasco and lemon, then joins the strained broth for a final union that’s deeply savory, slightly sweet from the sherry, and unlike anything else you’ve ever spooned up.
Chopped hard-boiled egg stirred in at the end is the classic finishing touch.
Kitchen Tips
- Have the butcher break the veal knuckles into 2-inch pieces so they render and brown properly in the roasting pan.
- Don’t skimp on the sherry. Two full cups go in, split between the turtle simmer and the final soup. It’s not optional; it’s the soul of this recipe.
- Strain the broth thoroughly before combining with the turtle mixture. You want it silky, not chunky.
Ingredients
Directions
Have knuckles broken into 2 inch pieces.
Place knuckles in a roasting pan and add the butter or chicken fat, onions, celery, carrots, thyme, marjoram, cloves, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Bake at 400-F until brown.
Remove from oven and add flour, mixing well and cook 30 minutes longer.
Pour browned mixture into a large soup kettle, add the broth and tomatoes, and cook slowly for 3½ hours.
Combine the snapper meat with 1 cup sherry, some salt, the tabasco and lemon slices, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the soup and combine the two mixtures.
Add the chopped egg and the balance of the sherry and serve immediately.
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