Bean soup is pretty cheap, if you already have a ham bone. If you don’t, smoked turkey wings, drumsticks,, (added by me smoked turkey thighs) or even necks are usually available soon after the turkey holidays, and do as well. Some chicken broth makes it richer, and an insta-pot cuts the cooking time at least in half.
I’ve also picked up frozen whole turkeys for as little as $.10 a pound or even free, using store points. A free turkey can go a long way too, probably farther than you can stand it unless you freeze some to use later.
These also make very good smoked turkey salad sandwiches.
Haven't seen any smoked thighs, but I always pick up the fresh ones when I see them. I roast them or have the wife brown them in the insta-pot then pressure cook them with soup fixins’.
I’ve become a convert to the Asian method of cooking the noodles or rice separately, then adding the soup when serving. Lets you get both noodle and rice soup from the same batch, and the starch part doesn’t get soggy. We’re making our noodles now too.
