Meat

Meat is a luxurious addition to any soup. When you can, choose stewing cuts, such as chicken legs, pork shoulder, beef chuck, short ribs or shank. Rich with fat, these cuts will add body and flavor as they simmer.

• For a soup that’s rich with bites of chicken, add a 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 2 pounds of boneless chicken to a mirepoix base. Add enough water or stock to cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 10 minutes for white meat and 45 minutes for dark meat. Remove the cooked meat from the pot and allow it to cool. Pick the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-size pieces. Chop the skin. Add the meat and skin back to the pot and return to a simmer. Add any remaining soup ingredients and cook until tender. Use a ladle to gently skim fat from the surface of the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

• To make pozole, sauerkraut soup or any other soup with pork, add 2 pounds cubed boneless pork shoulder to an onion-garlic base. Add seasonings and enough water or stock to cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the cooked meat from the pot and allow it to cool. Shred the meat, removing any gristle or very fatty bits as you go. Add the meat back to the pot and return to a simmer. Add any remaining soup ingredients and cook until tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.

• For a satisfying beef soup, cook a mirepoix or soffritto base and set it aside in a bowl. Return the soup pot to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When it shimmers, add 3 pounds of beef osso buco (shank) or cubed short ribs, or 2 pounds of cubed chuck in a single layer. Cook for about 4 minutes per side until evenly golden brown on all sides. Add browned meat to the bowl of vegetables. Carefully discard cooking fat and return pot to stove over medium heat. Add 1 cup white wine to deglaze, scrape thoroughly with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits, and return the vegetables and meat to the pot. Cover with water or stock, and simmer until the meat is tender and falling off the bones, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the cooked meat from the pot and allow it to cool. Shred the meat, removing any bones, gristle or very fatty bits as you go. Add the meat back to the pot and return to a simmer. Add any remaining soup ingredients and cook until tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.