Charleston Okra Soup Recipes

GRANNY'S OKRA SOUP

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, lima beans, okra, potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, and tomato paste in a large soup pot. Pour chicken stock over mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
• Season ground beef with garlic powder, celery salt, and onion powder. Set aside.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic when butter stops bubbling; cook and stir for 1 minute. Spread ground beef evenly in the pan. Cook until it has a nice brown sear, stirring minimally to end up with mostly medium-sized chunks, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain skillet and add beef, onions, and garlic to the soup pot.
• Bring soup mixture to a boil; reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables and beef have cooked down, 1 to 2 hours.

LOWCOUNTRY OKRA SOUP

Steps:

• Set an 8-quart Dutch oven or similar pot over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add oil. When oil shimmers, lay in turkey necks and sear until evenly golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
• Add 4 quarts water, smoked turkey, onion and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a heavy simmer, with the lid ajar to ensure the pot doesn't boil over. Check pot every 30 minutes to remove any scum that forms, and add water as needed to ensure that the meat is always submerged. Cook for about 3 hours or until all the meat is tender and broth is flavorful.
• While it's traditional to leave onion and bones in the soup (and suck meat off turkey neck as you eat), you can strain broth, remove onion and pick meat off bones at this point if desired, returning meat to broth. Either way, reduce broth to about 3 quarts, then stir in onion powder, paprika, cayenne and pepper, and season to taste with salt.
• Stir in tomatoes, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning for salt, then add okra, reduce heat to low and cook until okra is just tender, not mushy, and still has bite to it, no more than 10 minutes. The okra will naturally thicken the broth as it cooks.
• Stir in corn and beans, cook for another minute or 2, then serve immediately with rice, cornbread and hot sauce. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Return to a boil for 3 minutes before serving.

CHARLESTON OKRA SOUP

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except rice in a large Dutch oven, brng to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hr, stirring frequently.
• Remove bay leat & discard.
• Remove ham hock from soup.
• Remove meat from the bone and chop.
• Add meat from the bone and stir well.
• Place rice in bowls & ladle soup over rice.

GUMBO-STYLE CRAB SOUP WITH OKRA AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
• Add the onions and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme and crushed pepper.
• Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the wine and boil over moderately high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 1 minute.
• Add the tomato juices and bay leaves and boil until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
• Add the stock, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Add the okra, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring a few times, until browned, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.
• Stir the okra and tomatoes into the soup and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes longer; discard the bay leaves.
• Add the crabmeat to the soup and simmer until just heated through.
• Stir in the basil and season with salt, pepper and Tabasco.
• Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and serve.
• Serve with a light, spicy pinot grigio along with some hot homemade bread or biscuits.
• Enjoy!