SOUP!

So, a local grocery store had a meat sale. It is one of those little small town stores that isn't a chain store, and they've been around for 100 years. It reminded me of my hometown store from when I was a kid. Small aisles, small carts, super friendly people. Anyway, they had a truckload sale of meat and  I went for the first time. It was wonderful! Lots of meat in big trailers- it made the Gatherer part of my DNA scream out and want to stock up!
Anyway, I picked up a Boston butt for really cheap and on the way home, planned to cut that sucker in half and cook half in the crock pot, the other half would be cubed for carnitas. It sits in my fridge a couple of days and I finally remembered, so I sent my husband a text to cut it in half and get it into the crock pot.

It had a bone.

Now, bones don't scare me, but my husband was unsure what to do. I was at work and could not explain how to cut around the bone, so I told him to just chuck it back in the fridge. But, BONE! Oh. Em. GEEE!! SOUP!

When I got home, I went straight for the fridge. No kisses from my little man, no hugs, or hellos. I puled that beautiful hunk of meat out, set up the cutting board and went to town. I got about half the meat cut off, cubed it, bagged it and threw it in the freezer. The next morning the remaining hunk o' pork goodness went into the crock pot. Simply. Pork, salt, pepper, a couple tablespoons of water. That is it. Cooked it on high for about 8 hours. When I got home from work last night, again, no kisses, hugs, hellos because MEAT! I opened that crock pot and inhaled the aroma of porky goodness, closing my eyes and just taking it all in. Mentally thanking the heavens for pigs and their shoulders. My husband was wonderful enough to bake some sweet potatoes, and they were done. I had the best meal ever!! But let me get back to the soup.
After dinner, I added some water, diced a couple carrots, half an onion, a couple celery stalks and threw them right into the crock pot with all that pork juice. And the BONE! I added some of the meat back in, some dried black beans (I didn't have any navy beans) and turned it on high to cook all night. I cannot tell you how many times the delightful aroma of the cooking soup woke me up in the night. That is the downside of cooking all night in a crock pot.
When I got up this morning, the soup was delightful and rich- the broth was a deep rich brown and so full of flavor. I am enjoying some now for my lunch.

So, take a hunk of meat with a bone, cook it all night, have for dinner. Remove most of the meat, add some dried beans, and carrots and onions and celery and black pepper, water, and cook again all night. You will have the best soup ever! No measuring or recipe needed- add what you have or what you want. You cannot mess this up!

Being thrifty makes me giddy. Out of that 8.00 hunk of meat, I am getting 8 servings of carnitas, 4 servings of soup, and 4 servings of roast pork. Just thinking about this thriftiness makes me want to skip through my day, whistling a tune.

I hope y'all try this. You wont regret it.

Carolyn

P.S. Sorry for the janky picture- I forgot to take a pretty one at home so I took one at my desk

P.P.S. Search out your local stores and visit. While they may not have the best prices on meat and produce, they usually have the BEST meat and produce. Better meat beats better pricing in my life. All day, every day.