Pork shoulder turns humble soup into a meal that tastes like it simmered in a family kitchen all afternoon. It has enough fat to stay juicy, enough collagen to enrich broth, and enough flavor to stand up to bold spices, chiles, herbs, fermented sauces, and smoky seasonings.

A good bowl of soup can do more than fill a stomach. It can slow a busy evening, soften a cold day, and bring the whole kitchen to life with ginger, garlic, toasted sesame, star anise, miso, or simmering bones.