Vegetable Beef Soup

I always begin this meal early in the morning since it MUST cook all day. I actually cook it 8 hours. The longer it cooks the better it tastes. I start with snapping the green beans since that takes a bit of time. Then I move on to chopping the rest of the vegetables.

I chop the vegetables that need to be sauteed first such as the celery and onions. I generally chop them in rather large pieces since they shrink during cooking. In fact, I don’t like turnips but using a small one makes all the difference in the world in flavor in this recipe. I dice the turnip (instead of chopping it) since I don’t care for it. That way, it disappears but improves the flavor.

Using a very large stock pot, drizzle olive oil over bottom of pan on medium high heat. Meanwhile put garlic salt on beef and rub in. When pan is hot put roast in to brown. Brown both sides to a medium brown. I add the celery and onions to the beef as it browns.

During this time, continue chopping the sweet potato, turnip, carrots, and potatoes. Cut the corn off the cob. Leave the skin on your russet potatoes to capture all the vitamins.

By now the meat should be browned. When the meat is brown add the tomatoes and baking soda. The baking soda cuts the acidity of the tomatoes. Add a can of water for each can of tomatoes that you add (4 cans total). If this does not cover the beef vegetable mixture continuing adding water until it is just covered.

Now add all your vegetables to your soup. This is the time to add your soup bones as well. If your grocer doesn’t carry soup bones in the meat section you can always ask for them. If they don’t have them double your bouillon. The only issue with that is the amount of salt in the bouillon. Cover your ingredients with water (a good two inches or more over) and add your beef bouillon.

Cover your soup with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer (it needs to simmer vigorously) and keep it over the heat for 6 – 8 hours. An hour before the soup is done add your frozen vegetables to the soup. Cook a minimum of six hours. I like to have mine on the stove boiling by 10 AM (I also like to sleep late) and have it ready to eat by 6 PM. Again, the longer it cooks the better it is. By the way, I’ve cooked this and somehow ended up with a weak broth (how?). I fixed that by putting it back on the stove another 4 or more hours. You get all those wonderful vegetable flavors from the fresh vegetables combined with the beef. Yum yum in your tum tum!

Add water as needed if you are losing broth. Keep in mind that this is a soup not a stew. Be careful though, because boiling it too vigorously will cause loss of broth and adding water weakens the broth. There is a fine line between vigorously simmering and boiling. Use your judgement. This is probably the most difficult part of the recipe. Be sure to stir frequently and of course someone must stay home watching the pot on the stove. I have never tried this in the crock pot but I’m sure it would be excellent.

Serve with fresh crusty French bread and plenty of butter. You now have a healthy filling dinner for the family. Guess what? You have leftovers for lunch or dinner too.

If you plan on freezing the leftovers then add only the number of potatoes you think the family will eat. When you reheat add more potatoes. This is just a suggestion. I’ve done it both ways. The potatoes are the only thing that don’t freeze well.

Enjoy!