Potage à la Jambe de Bois: Traditional Lyonnaise Wooden Leg Soup
Prep40 min
Cook3h 27min
Total4h 7min
Yield12 portions
LevelAdvanced
About This Recipe
Discover potage à la jambe de bois, the historic Lyonnaise soup of veal, pork, poultry, game and vegetables. Learn its traditional presentation and how the hearty broth is built.
Scale This Recipe
Servings
Ingredients
Units
VEGETABLES
2 medium
yellow onions, — diced into 1/2 inch cubes
5 medium
carrots, — peeled and cut into ¼ inch circles
1 medium
, — washed and cut into ¼ inch pieces
4 medium
white turnips, — diced into 1/4 inch cubes
1 medium
rutabaga, — diced into 1/4 inch cubes
3 cloves
garlic, — peeled and chopped
4 cups
Savoy cabbage — finely sliced and stalks removed
Salt and pepper to taste, — to taste
3
eggs, — beaten
0.25 cup
parsley leaves, — finely chopped
BROTH
1.5 pounds
veal shank, — the whole piece, washed carefully
1 pound
pork shoulder, — the whole piece, washed carefully
1 pound
veal shoulder, — the whole piece, washed carefully
0.5
whole hen or chicken, — washed carefully
0.5
old whole partridge, — washed carefully
1
beef bone marrow
1
tied
3
bay leaves
3 garlic
cloves
Instructions
1
Place all meat - veal shank, pork and veal shoulder, hen, partridge and beef bone marrow - into a large stock pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, cover with a lid and bring to a full boil on high heat. Remove the lid, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 2 hours. On a regular basis, remove the scum with a .
2
After two hours of simmering add the garni, bay leaves and cloves. Cook until the meat is falling off the veal shank, for about 2 hours, depending on the weight.
3
When the meat is very cooked add the cut onions, carrots, leek, turnips, rutabaga and garlic. for about an hour, skimming as necessary. Add more water if the meat or vegetables are not totally covered by an inch of broth.
4
Meanwhile, with a skimmer remove a piece of meat and place it on a cutting board. Discard bone, fat and nerves if any. Cut the meat into bite size pieces, then return the cut meat to the pot. Repeat the operation for all the meats.
5
After an hour of simmering the vegetables, remove and discard the bouquet garni and bay leaves. Add the cabbage and simmer for 30 more minutes. Taste and rectify the seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste.
6
the eggs until they are slightly frothy, and stir them into the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes and serve with chopped parsley over top.
The secret to a silky soup like this one is patience at the blending stage — take your time and pass it through a fine sieve if you want a truly professional finish. If you'd like to go deeper, Soups Making 101 covers this in full.
If you'd ever like hands-on guidance for your own kitchen or restaurant, I also offer 1-on-1 coaching through OCS, or you can reach me directly for consulting at 911ChefEric.com.
Recipes come out right when you understand the method. Chef Eric’s courses teach the foundations step by step — knife skills, stocks, soups and classic French technique — with video lessons and short quizzes. Not sure where to start? OCRS™ will build your roadmap in five questions.
