Introducing the Chourico Ham Soup! The must have Soup for the Fall months. Made with Mild or Hot Chourico Sausages, depending on how Spicy you like it. What an Amazing Soup! This soup is just perfect for the Fall Holidays, and It all starts with a Ham Roast with some Portuguese Chourico Sausages for a flavor combination that is just Outstanding.
Chourico Ham Soup Base
The soup base is pretty simple with the Cream & Flour mixed well before the remaining ingredients are added into a bowl, mixed well and set aside until needed. Exchanging the Water for Ham Bone Broth will yield better flavors.
When adding everything into the Bowl, add any Hot Liquids such as Ham Broth if using last. This allows the Flour to mix in well with the cream and prevent clumping if adding in Hot Ham Broth. Then add the Hot Ham Broth while whisking. Otherwise, just combine everything and mix well.
Chourico Ham Soup Base
- 8 Cups Water
- 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cubes
- 1 C Cream
- 1/4 C Flour
- 1 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
Ham Bone Broth
Start by making the Ham Bone Broth. Use the Broth in place of the water to combine with the Maggi Bouillon Cubes for the Soup Base. Making the Ham Broth will add so much more Ham Flavor as well as extract natural gelatin for that mouthfeel.
Ham Bone
Strip all or most of the meat from the Ham and use the Bone to make Ham Broth.
This comes from a Hickory Smoked Shank.
Ham Bone Broth
Place 16 Cups of Water into a Pot with the Ham Bone and Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until reduced by half, yielding about 8 Cups of Ham Broth.
To this add 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cubes to create the Soup base with the remaining ingredients.
Chicken Broth
Really one of the best tasting broths out there and can be made as weak or as strong as needed. I write a whole Food For Thought article just on Maggi Bouillon Cubes. It’s the only kind I buy.
Maggi Chicken Broth
Use 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cubes combined with 8 Cups of Water or Ham Broth.
Flour
Add some All Purpose Flour to slightly thicken the Soup base up to a more desirable consistency rather than a watered down soup. Mix this into the Cream first for even distribution and to prevent clumping. Especially when using Hot Liquids such as the fresh made Ham broth.
This is just my preference for Soup. The Flour can be omitted or exchanged with 2 Tbl or more of Cornstarch or Potato Starch as a Gluten free alternative.
Cream
I use 10 % Cream, however you can go with a heavier cream if desired. Chourico Sausages pair exceptionally well with Dairy Products.
The Cream and Flour get mixed in first before the remaining ingredients are added to create the Soup base.
Butter
A good amount of Butter is used to sauté the Onions & Garlic and extract flavors from the Chourico and Ham while contributing a Butter Flavor.
Butter Popcorn Seasoning
I know Butter Popcorn Seasoning say what. But it really does work to give that extra boost of Buttery flavors. In fact, ever since I discovered how well this works with soups, it’s just not the same without it.
The Soup already has a good amount of Butter, but the Butter Popcorn seasoning really boosts the Butter flavors up to a whole other level and also assist in the color.
Butter Popcorn Seasoning
I get this at the Bulk Barn. It just adds so much to certain dishes.
Cream of Tartar
The Cream of Tartar is another ingredient that not many know about and has a few functions. First it adds a bit of acidity, barely noticeable. But enough to lift things up. Secondly, it exaggerates the Creaminess of the Soup. Especially with the Cream & Butter added. Lastly, it assists in preserving the color of the Vegetables added to the Soup.
You’d be surprised what Cream of Tartar can do in Soups and in Gravies. This is one of the reason why I use Poultry Brine in Chicken Gravies. It just adds that something extra.
Chourico Sausages
It’s important to get a good quality Portuguese Chourico Sausage. I source mine at Unboxed Market located in Toronto. These are just Phenomenal!
Not all Portuguese Chourico are made the same. You are looking for a Portuguese Chourico made with chunks of meat, not ground. With a Red Paste throughout with soft fat. Not hard chewy fat or fat with the skin on. They come in Mild or Hot, and either one can be used depending on how Mild or Hot you want the Soup.
Chourico Sausages
Tear apart or chop about 1 lbs. of Chourico Sausages.
Ham
The Ham comes from a Ham Roast and since you only need about 1 lbs. of it. The rest of the Ham can be chopped up and shared across Braised Ham, Ham & Cheese Biscuits, Ham & Cheese Pasta Salad, or portion Ham into 1 lbs. portions into Ziploc bags and freeze for future Chourico Ham Soups. Using 8 Cups of Water and 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon for the Broth.
Ham
Once you have the meat off of the Ham Bone, tear bite size pieces until you have about 1 lbs. of Ham.
Chourico Ham Soup Vegetables
Use 1 Bowl for the Potatoes & Carrots and another for the Beans & Cabbage. Depending on how soft you like the Cabbage, it can be added with the Beans or the Cabbage added first to cook for a few minutes before the waxed beans are added to yield a softer Cabbage in the final Chourico Ham Soup.
Potatoes & Carrots
2 Cups of Diced Potatoes & Carrots, or about 2 Medium sized Potatoes & Carrots.
Quarter the Potatoes lengthwise and Dice into about 1 inch. Slice the Carrots at about 1/4 inch thick.
Place them in a Bowl and cover with water until they are needed. Strain the water out when adding to the Soup.
Waxed Beans & Cabbage
Use 1 can each of Green & Yellow Waxed Beans with about 3 Cups of Chopped Cabbage.
Place them into a Bowl and cover with water until they are needed. Strain the water out when adding to the Soup.
Onion & Garlic
1 diced Onion with 3 minced Garlic Cloves. This gets sautéed first in 1/3 C of Butter, along with the Portuguese Chourico Sausages and Ham.
How to Make Chourico Ham Soup
- Place Butter, Onions & Garlic into a Stock Pot and cook over medium heat until the Onions are translucent.
- Add the Chourico & Ham and cook a few minutes.
- Empty the Soup base in and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the Potatoes & Carrots, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Empty the Waxed Beans & Cabbage in. Bring to a boil over max heat, remove from heat and cover to rest for 20 minutes.
After the 20-minute rest, ladle out a bowl of Chourico Ham Soup. Serve it up with some Buttered Dinner Rolls and Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 Stockpot
- 1 Bowl For the Potatoes & Carrots
- 1 Bowl For the Waxed Beans & Cabbage
- 1 Bowl For the Soup Base
Ingredients
- 1 Ham Bone - optional but creates a better tasting broth
- 1 lbs. Ham - Torn into bite size pieces
- 1 lbs. Chourico Sausages - or 2 Sausages, torn into bite size pieces
- 1/3 C Butter
Soup Base
- 8 C Water - or use 8 cups of the Ham broth made from the Ham Bone
- 4 Cubes Maggi Chicken Bouillon
- 1 C 10 % Cream - or heavier
- 1/4 C AP Flour - mixed with the Cream first
- 1 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
Vegetables
- 2 Med Potatoes - Diced 1 inch / about 2 Cups
- 2 Med Carrots - Sliced 1/4 inch / about 2 Cups
- 2-3 C Cabbage - Chopped
- 1 Med Onion - Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
- 1 Can Yellow Waxed Beans
- 1 Can Green Waxed Beans
Instructions
- Fill a Stockpot up with 16 Cups of water and place the Ham bone in. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. For me, this took about 1 1/2 hours. This step can be done the night before. Use 8 cups of the Ham Broth with the 4 Maggi Bouillons. This step can be skipped, using 8 Cups of water with 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon cubes to create the broth.
- Combine the Soup Base Ingredients into 1 bowl, adding the Cream & Flour first and mixing well before adding in the remaining ingredients and mixing. Quarter the Potatoes lengthwise and dice 1 inch. Slice the Carrots 1/4 inch and place both the Potatoes & Carrots into a bowl to fill with water and set aside. Empty the Waxed Beans into another bowl and add the chopped Cabbage. Fill with water to cover and set aside until needed. Dice the Onions and mince the Garlic.
- Place the Butter into the Stockpot with the Onions & Garlic over medium heat. Cook until the Onions are translucent. Add the Chourico and Ham and cook a few more minutes.
- Add the Soup Base, mix well and bring to a boil over max heat while mixing often. Then reduce the heat to medium to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Strain out the Potatoes & Carrots and add them to the Soup and mix well. Bring to a boil over max heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and add the Waxed Beans & Cabbage, mix well. Bring it back to a boil over max heat before removing from the heat. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.