Mountain Potato Soup

Hearty potato soup made from the cellar’s stored potatoes, seasoned with salt pork, onion, and whatever milk or cream the dairy cow provided. Carried in a mason jar, still warm at lunchtime. Simple ingredients, but the combination of starchy potatoes, pork fat, onion, and milk created something deeply comforting. Every region has potato soup; the Appalachian version was defined by salt pork and simplicity.

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 oz salt pork or 4 strips bacon, diced
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk or cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh green onion tops or chives to garnish

Directions

1. Cook salt pork in a large pot over medium heat until fat is rendered and pork is lightly crispy. Remove pork.
2. In remaining fat, cook onion until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add potatoes and water. Bring to a boil.

1. Reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are very soft.
2. Mash about half the potatoes against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon — this thickens the soup naturally.

Add milk and butter. Stir to combine.

1. Return crispy salt pork to the soup. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
2. Simmer 5 more minutes. For lunch pail: ladle into a mason jar while very hot, seal, and insulate with newspaper.

Notes

Mountain potato soup was intentionally thick — almost a stew. The partial mashing creates body without needing any thickener. Root cellar potatoes by February had been storing for months and had a concentrated, earthy flavor that fresh summer potatoes don’t have. Green onion tops from the garden added color and mild onion flavor.