You can buy a ham or pork shank for less than a couple of pounds. Ham shanks are saltier than a pork shank, so if you prefer a less salty dish, either soak the ham shank for 3 hours in cold water or use a pork shank; they taste equally good. Just look for one with the most meat around the bone.
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1 ham or pork shank
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1 large knob of butter
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1 large onion, chopped
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2 medium carrots, chopped
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2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
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1 celery stick, chopped
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1 small green pepper, chopped
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A handful of frozen green beans, chopped
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A handful of frozen peas
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Salt and pepper to taste
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2–3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 level teaspoon dried
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Step 1:
Cook the shank in a large pan with sufficient water to cover well and bring to the boil; add a little salt if it is pork. After boiling point is reached, turn down the heat and cover and simmer gently for 2½ hours.
Step 2:
Remove from the heat after the cooking time and lift out the joint. Leave it on a plate to cool – it will be used later.
Step 3:
Pour the stock liquid into a large bowl and conserve.
Step 4:
Add a knob of butter to the pan and melt gently over a low heat.
Step 5:
Add all the vegetables, seasoning to taste, and if you are using dried herbs add these also. Stir well so that the ingredients are coated in butter.
Step 6:
Cover and allow the vegetables to ‘sweat’ for 15–20 minutes. This very gentle initial cooking extracts the full flavour of all the vegetables before any liquid is added.
Step 7:
Stir and add the liquid from the meat. If using fresh herbs, add them at this stage. If there isn’t enough liquid to cook the soup, add a little more hot water to make about 2 litres. The liquid measurement is very approximate; just make sure there is enough to cover the vegetables with about 3cm spare. You can always top up with water if necessary during the cooking time.
Step 8:
Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Check and adjust the seasoning during this time.
Step 9:
While the soup is cooking, remove all the meat from the bones, chop it into bite-size pieces and add to the soup once the 40 minutes are up. Stir well and cook for 10 more minutes.
Step 10:
Soup tastes best if it is allowed to stand for 15–20 minutes before serving; this allows the flavours to develop. It can then be reheated and served. If you have any left over, allow to cool and either store in the fridge for 48 hours or pour into a freezeable container, label and store frozen for up to 2 months.
Like The Article? Buy The Book!This article originally came from the book 'Good Home Cooking' at
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