Beef and Vegetable Soup
Great for those cold winter days and tastes even better the next day. I serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches
Great for those cold winter days and tastes even better the next day. I serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches
- Carbohydrate 60.845311875 g
- Cholesterol 42.5240625 mg
- Fat 16.3888695 g
- Fiber 7.11622383373678 g
- Protein 18.5350095 g
- Saturated Fat 5.813864825 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (332g)
- Sodium 377.434725 mg
- Sugar 53.7290880412632 g
- Trans Fat 3.9846762625 g
- Calories 459 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown stew meat in a little oil, add a pinch of flour if you like a thick soup.
- You can use beef broth if you want for extra punch of flavor or water.
- Fill pot halfway with water, add all other ingredients and stir well.
- Add water as needed to cover ingredients or if you like more liquid part for the soup.
- My family likes it really hardy so I don't use as much liquid.
- Cook on medium heat and cover for 45 minutes.
- Serve with grill cheese.. yumm
Recipes rarely explain why searing meat in oil transforms a simple pot of water into a rich broth. Maillard reactions require dry heat exceeding 300 degrees Fahrenheit, which means raw beef must be thoroughly dried with paper towels before hitting the pan or it will steam instead of brown. Crowding the pot prevents this crust formation, so work in batches if necessary to maintain proper surface contact between the meat and the hot metal. Deglazing the pan with water or broth dissolves those caramelized fond fragments left on the bottom, incorporating deep savory notes directly into the liquid base. Flour added during this stage acts as a starch binder, gelatinizing when heated to thicken the soup body naturally without heavy cream. Tubed or canned tomato paste contains concentrated glutamates that amplify meaty flavors further when cooked down in the fat for two minutes before the liquid goes in. Potatoes release starches as they simmer, requiring medium heat rather than a rolling boil to prevent the exterior from disintegrating before the centers turn tender. Testing doneness relies entirely on visual and textural cues rather than digital tools; pierce a potato cube with the tip of a paring knife to ensure it yields with zero resistance. Noodles absorb significant liquid during prolonged cooking, so add broken spaghetti during the final ten minutes of the forty-five minute simmer to keep the pasta from turning mushy. Storing leftovers in an airtight container for twenty-four hours allows starches to fully hydrate and flavors to meld, producing a noticeably better taste on the second day.
