Boston Irish Style Pepperpot Soup

[lost1]

I have been searching for a recipe for this soup for years now. Seems none of the younger generations have even heard of it. It was a staple of my family when I was growing up. I've looked for a copula years now and cannot find a recipe for it. It isn't a thin, watery soup but a full, robust, hearty soup. The kind that would send you back outside into the cold, windy weather with a smile.
It was not the soups easily found in "finer" restaurants.

[MNMOM]

I went searching on the internet and I did find one for Philadelphia Pepperpot soup, couldn't find anything for Boston-Irish, though.

[CarolAnn]

Found several - Maybe one or two of these will have a familiar sounding list of ingredients!

PEPPERPOT SOUP

2 lbs. stewing veal
2 lbs. tripe
6 med. potatoes, diced
2 lg. onions, diced
1 tbsp. thyme
Salt and lots of pepper to taste

Simmer veal and tripe in water until tender. Drain, reserving the stock, and cut into small pieces. In a soup pot, add all ingredients and reserved stock and enough water to cover everything. Simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors blended.
Make tiny Bisquick dumplings according to package directions according to package directions and drop into boiling mixture. Put a lid on the pot and cook 10 minutes longer.


PEPPERPOT BEEF

2 lbs. stewing steak (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 oz. flour
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 oz. olive oil

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:

8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms, fresh or canned

Combine and set aside. 1 jar (2 or 4 oz.) pimento
Mix together the flour and seasonings and coat cubes of meat. Heat olive oil in large skillet and brown meat quickly, turning once. Transfer the meat to a large casserole. Cover the meat with the sauce. Cover the casserole and cook in a 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven. Add beans and pimento (mix). Return to oven and cook for 1/2 hour. Serve with rice or noodles. Serves 6.

ENGLISH PEPPERPOT

2 c. sliced raw carrots
2 c. sliced raw potatoes
1 c. sliced raw onions
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. raw hamburger
2 c. canned tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place ingredients in the order given in a greased casserole. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each layer. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven about 2 hours or until done.
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There was also one for Jamacan Pepperpot stew, but I doubt if the Boston Irish were big users of coconuts, one of the ingredients in that one!

My guess is that your childhood Pepperpot was a combination of ingredients from any of the three above. Homemade soups and stews are made from what is readily at hand, and Pepperpot is a very old type of soup with very little sauce. I'd try it using any ingredients you can remember, and keep track of what you add each time you make it. Then when you hit on the one that seems right, you can duplicate it!

[CarolAnn]

Also, Lost1, I found that tripe was listed in several other Pepperpot recipes. Tripe is the first or second stomach of the cow (or stomach of any ruminant) - more than likely, the second stomach of the cow, called honeycomb tripe. That's not something you see often in a supermarket, but it was a nutritious (and cheap) food in bygone years.

If the recipe you had was authentic, it probably did have some tripe in it. If you can't find it (or don't want to find it) - your pepperpot will be just as good, just not as authentic!

[lost1]

I really appreciate the help. I am going to try the recipes and have the perfect weather for it as we have several inches of freezing rain and snow with more on the way.
Thanks again
lost1

[clawhammerdan]

They sound good. Thanks, lost 1 for turning me on to this. Always looking for something new to serve for my family, and soup is a good thing to have in the winter.