Classic Creole Turtle Soup

Name: Classic Creole Turtle Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Creole
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb turtle meat, or beef stew meat/chuck as a substitute, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 2 celery ribs, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes; 8 cups beef stock; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 tsp ground allspice; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 cup dry sherry, plus more for the table; 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1 lemon, sliced, for serving

A dark, sherry-laced New Orleans restaurant classic built on a well-browned roux, tomato, and warm spice, traditionally made with turtle meat.

📝 Notes: Genuine snapping-turtle meat is difficult to source, seasonally restricted, and comes with real conservation concerns in many areas — beef chuck or stew meat is the practical modern substitute used in most New Orleans kitchens today and gives a very close texture and richness in the same long-simmered, dark-roux broth.

⏱ Prep 30m🔥 Cook 120m🕒 Total 150m🍽 8 servings

#nola#creole classic

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Ingredients

1 1/2 lbturtle meat, or beef stew meat/chuck as a substitute, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cupvegetable oil
1/2 cupall-purpose flour
1yellow onion, diced
1green bell pepper, diced
2celery ribs, diced
3garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz)can crushed tomatoes
8 cupsbeef stock
2bay leaves
1 tspdried thyme
1/2 tspground allspice
1/4 tspground cloves
1/4 cupWorcestershire sauce
1/4 cupdry sherry, plus more for the table
3hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped
1lemon, sliced, for serving

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Method

1
Pat the meat dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a heavy pot, brown the meat in a couple tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat, working in batches. Remove and set aside.
2
In the same pot, heat the remaining oil and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 15–20 minutes, until it reaches a deep, dark chocolate-brown color — this is the flavor backbone of the soup, so don't rush or scorch it.
3
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the hot roux and cook, stirring, 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, then gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth.
5
Return the browned meat to the pot along with bay leaves, thyme, allspice, and cloves. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover partially, and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally.
6
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and sherry, and simmer 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
7
Ladle into bowls, top each with chopped hard-boiled egg and parsley, and pass extra sherry and lemon slices at the table for guests to add themselves.