Monday, September 11, 2017

Sunday Soup #39: Crockpot Crispy Caramelized Pork Ramen Noodle Soup with Curry Roasted Acorn Squash

"Wait," you might be saying to yourself, "didn't I just see a Sunday Soup post a couple days ago?" Yes, yes you did... However, even though I posted it a couple of days ago, I had made it the previous weekend. So, this week it was time to make something different... But, was it as good as last week's entry?

This recipe came from: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-crispy-caramelized-pork-ramen-noodle-soup-wcurry-roasted-acorn-squash/


*Pic 1 - https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-crispy-caramelized-pork-ramen-noodle-soup-wcurry-roasted-acorn-squash/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I cooked the pork in an Instant Pot instead of the crockpot. I used a bit more pork than the recipe prescribed because, hey, who couldn't use more pork in their lives (more on this later), and the roasts I found at the store were a little larger than the recipe called for. I used four extra cups of chicken broth (the recipe said use more, if needed), and I used regular, instead of low-sodium, chicken broth (more on this later, too). I used frozen, instead of fresh, ginger because it was easier. I skipped the egg entirely, because soft-boiled eggs make we want to hurl (sorry!). And, finally, while I prepared the acorn squash, I decided not to add it to the soup but, rather, to simply have it available as an add-in for this week's diners.

General Thoughts: There are a few things that I have found over the years with soups (like this one) that have a lot of ingredients, particularly if they are specialized or premium ingredients: 1) They invite a lot of variation and substitution (see above), as the ingredients can either be hard to find at the store or do not suit the cook's tastes; 2) They can be expensive to make, as the ingredients are premium or are not already in the pantry at home, so must be bought new; and 3) A lot of ingredients can equal a lot of work (e.g., chopping, roasting, mixing, etc.) and/or a lot of effort for the cooks.

I don't hold any of those characteristics in particularly high regard as a cook (I am way too practical), but I have managed to make some really tasty soups in spite of these things. Unfortunately, I don't think this was one of them, although it has potential.


*Pic 2 - Picture from when I made it

The best thing about this soup was the broth, bar none! It was rich, hearty and flavorful, absolutely the star of this dish. It infused all of the ingredients, which was great, and made it worth going back for more. It was a little bit too salty, which I think could have been greatly helped by using low-sodium chicken broth, as recommended in the recipe; yep, my own decision to use regular was a bad one, I am sorry to say.

And, the pork... Oh, the pork! Super yummy, super flavorful, and the caramelization process finished it off just right. The problem was, there was too much of it (the recipe called for 2-3 pounds, but I used about 3.5 pounds); yes, again my fault. So, while it was terrifically delicious, it really dominated the dish, overpowering the broth and noodles, which should have rightly been the stars. I also think that, if I make this again, I would cube the pork before cooking instead of shredding it after.

The recipe called for using the ramen noodles out of packs of instant ramen, which was certainly economical, but they certainly are not quality. If you have another source of higher quality ramen noodles, I'd definitely use them if you are are going to take a stab at it.

Finally, on the squash... I am not a squash person (as I mentioned); primarily a texture thing, but I'm also not crazy about the taste. However, with the seasoning mixture and roasting, the squash actually tasted pretty good! But, because of the texture (eeeewwwwww, squishy!), it didn't seem right to put it in the soup pot. So, I left it out for people to add to their bowls on their own.

Potential Improvements? Definitely! As I've already mentioned, use low-sodium chicken broth, use 1/2 - 2/3 the recommended pork, and use a higher quality ramen noodle than the instant kind.

Polling the Fam: I was not super happy with this one... I know, I know, I went a little rogue and did some stuff that did not turn out well, so the recipe (as written) could have turned out a bit better. But, for the work and cost, I wasn't a huge fan (despite the definite broth and pork yumminess). Jayson liked it overall, and liked the squash but thought adding it as a garnish was a bit odd. Lisa thought the meat and broth were right on, very flavorful, but thought the squash was a bust, suggesting maybe butternut squash or sweet potatoes next time instead. Andrew liked it and would eat it again, said it had really good broth and meat, but it was a little spicy for him. Hunter thought it was really good, especially the broth and meat. And Fox, always a young man of few words, said it was "good," but then went back for thirds, so he must have liked it.

Verdict: Not a fan. (2 stars)

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