Turtle Soup Recipe - Creole Turtle Soup | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

What kind of turtle is used in turtle soup? ›

In the United States, the common snapping turtle has long been the principal species used for turtle soup. In this case the soup is also referred to as bookbinder soup, snapper turtle soup, or simply snapper soup (not to be confused with red snapper soup, which is made from the fish red snapper).

The Foods of England Project defines mock turtle soup as "Soup made in imitation of the, prized but impossibly expensive, turtle-meat soup ... Usually made from calf's head and light vegetables." Cooks even went so far as to give the soup a greenish hue to mimic the green fat from the turtles.

Cincinnati food historian Dann Woellert calls the soup one of the "holy trinity" of local specialties, along with Cincinnati chili and goetta. Campbell Soup Company once produced canned condensed version made of calf's head but discontinued it before 1960.

They cannot be legally consumed. Turtles can bioaccumulate contaminants at levels that could be a potential human health concern. Turtles accumulate contaminants in their fat, organs, and skin.

Today green sea turtles, like all other species of sea turtles, are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. If you ate one in the United States, you would be committing a felony. Turtles are one of the most imperiled groups of animals on the planet.

Many turtles belong to endangered species under governmental protection, partly because humans used them as soup. The biggest hurdle for those who would want a sustainable diet of turtles is their survival strategy depends on ensuring just enough turtles survive.

In the United States the meat from snapping turtles is generally used, while Asian recipes tend to call for soft-shelled turtles.

Turtle soup is a traditional delicacy in some cultures, known for its unique flavor and thick consistency. It can be delicious to those who enjoy rich, savory flavors. However, it's controversial due to concerns about sustainability and animal welfare, as turtles are often endangered or protected species.

In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was passed, which made it illegal to harvest endangered animals like sea turtles in U.S. waters.

Seely's Cookbook. Heinz and Campbell's also jumped on the terrapin train, marketing their canned turtle soups (and "mock" turtle soups made of calf's head) to the hoi polloi, for whom exorbitant prices left actual terrapin soup out of reach.

Do Asians eat turtle soup? ›

Traditional Claypot Turtle Soup in East Asia

As a land of culinary diversity, China boasts various interpretations of claypot turtle soup. From Guangzhou's bustling streets to Suzhou's tranquil landscapes, each region imparts its flair to the dish.

There's a reason why you won't find turtle soup anywhere in America. Most countries around the world (including America) have banned the hunting and selling of sea turtle meat for conservation and animal cruelty reasons.

The subject matter initially caused offense, in part for its affront to the technique and philosophy of the earlier art movement of abstract expressionism. Warhol's motives as an artist were questioned. Warhol's association with the subject led to his name becoming synonymous with the Campbell's Soup Can paintings.

“Although we have quite a few laws in Canada and Ontario, there's still an illegal black market for pet turtles and turtles as a food source,” said Gillingwater, who has studied the softshell turtles since 1994 and works with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

turtle soup, a stewlike soup made with turtle meat, common in Asia and in Creole cuisine in the United States. The soup gets its consistency from a roux, a thickening agent made by cooking flour and fat together. Turtle soup also typically contains turtle stock, hard-boiled eggs, and various spices and vegetables.

By the turn of the 20th century, overharvesting had left the terrapin population teetering on the brink. Once available for a few dollars a dozen, the cost of the now hard-to-find terrapin skyrocketed. The future looked bleak for the diamondback terrapin.

Like squirrel, most people who try snapping turtle for the first time are utterly surprised with just how good it tastes. It has a firm texture, similar to rabbit, with a very distinct and slightly sweet flavor.

The flavor has often been compared to being incredibly meaty, beefy with a unique texture that can be roughly compared to squid or alligator. Others have compared the succulent flavoring of turtle meat to rich crab, salmon, decadent lobster with hints occasionally of bluefish, mackerel, trout, and even sturgeon.