Chef Ray Cropper's Snapping Turtle Soup has been served at Hunters' Tavern at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, Maryland, for nearly 50 years. Today, Chef Daniel Pochron continues the legacy with a few tweaks of his own.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 2 gallons
For the stock
- 1 snapping turtle (12-14 pounds), cleaned and dressed
- 1 gallon beef broth
- 1 gallon chicken broth
- 27 ounces canned tomatoes
- 54 ounces tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon pickling spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 4 hardboiled eggs, chopped
For the roux
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup flour
Preparation
Combine all stock ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until meat is tender. Remove the turtle from the pot, strip the carcass of meat (neck, tail, legs) and shred. Set aside.
Strain the stock. Make the roux by melting the butter and adding flour, stirring constantly. Add the roux and turtle meat to the strained stock. Serve with sherry.
