Since I’ll probably never get around to finding the massive cast iron cooking pot required for this heavenly tater soup, I thought I’d disseminate it among the various Dopers…of which at least one, I’m sure, has a massive hog scalding kettle just sitting around in the garage.
I got this at the Mountaintop Musicfest last year, which is held at Newtown Battlefield in Elmira, NY. Its a weekend of bluegrass and traditional folk music, with battle reenactments and a selection of the finest homemade fudge for sale in the county.
There were volunteers dressed in pioneer garb tending to this huge bubbling cauldron of tater soup hooked on a tripod over a fire pit, and selling bowlfuls for $2.50.
Mister, I don’t even like tater soup and I consider this the best $2.50 I ever spent in my life.
The volunteers told me it was a traditional recipe passed down from whoever’s great great grandmother, and you can’t adjust the amount to cook just a little bit on your stovetop. Nope, it’s all 30 gallons or nothin’ with this tater soup. (They were right, BTW - I tried, in my arrogance and folly - and it came out like poo.)
This is verbatim from the recipe they sold me (framed, natch) for $15 - which is exactly as that genius great great grandmother originally wrote it:
If anyone ever makes this up, email me and let me know how it turns out. Then airship me a few gallons and I will pay whatever price you name. Between about 5 of us, we must have dropped $100 just on tater soup over two days at that festival. Its like crack, but much tastier.
I’m heading down to Williams and Sonoma this afternoon. I’ll see if I can pick up a stainless steel hog scalding kettle while I’m there, and I’ll let you know how the recipe works out.
No, no, no…cast-iron is the key here. They’ll probably have to special order it for you. Maybe you should wait until Hog Killing Day, they’ll usually run half-off specials on hog scalding kettles and sausage casing supplies.
How would one wrangle an invite to a PorkDope, especially if tater soup will be on the menu?
And Mr. Moto, you validated my theory that, within 5 posts or less, some Doper is gonna have what you’re looking for.
