I was going to make my Sausage Potato Chowder today, but I have leftovers in the fridge to use up.
I know I have the sausage in the freezer. Instead, I decided to use up what I have in the fridge and pantry. Leftover baby back spare ribs instead of sausage. All the dry rub seasonings on them will really add flavor to the soup. Red jacket potatoes instead of gold potatoes.
Everything else the same.
Use Leftovers Up
In part, I am doing this to show you how easy it is to take one recipe and turn it into something else. Almost 30% of purchased food is thrown away. That’s atrocious. Food costs too much for a third of it to wind up in a bin. And for people who don’t like leftovers, or, should I say, don’t like eating the same leftovers as the same meal, turning it into something new doesn’t seem so bad.
I Make Rib Potato Chowder Today
I started by pulling the meat off the bones, then quickly chopping it into bite-size pieces. Sauté the onions, add the garlic, then the meat. No need to brown the meat as I do with sausage, since the ribs are already cooked.
Add water, all the seasonings, and the diced potatoes (I left the skins on the red potatoes, don’t pare it off!) to the pot. Make sure the water covers the potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Easy peasy.
Finally, add the cream powder/cream (some half-and-half I had left in the fridge today, another substitution) and the potato flakes to thicken the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Done!
Experiment with the Food You Have
The point of this recipe is to learn to use what you have, especially if the food is bound for discard. Leftovers can be enjoyed. Also, don’t be afraid to swap things up in any recipe. Cooking should be fun! Experiment! Swap in different herbs and spices. Fresh herbs in the fridge? Wonderful, use those instead of dried. Don’t be limited by printed words or pictures of what a dish “should be”. Make food your own way, in a way your family will eat it.
Make this soup with leftover beef roast, pork roast, or chicken. Even shrimp would be lovely. Why not a fish & potato chowder?
And maybe they won’t realize it’s “leftovers”.
By the way, my new soup is delicious.
Visit The Best Sausage Potato Chowder I ever Made for the original recipe.
Happy Cooking!
