Grandma June's Hamburger Soup
This is Grandma's long time hamburger soup recipe. I enjoy everything about it, great memories!
This is Grandma's long time hamburger soup recipe. I enjoy everything about it, great memories!
- Carbohydrate 13.3744130023309 g
- Cholesterol 40.2563228375 mg
- Fat 11.7616951250396 g
- Fiber 2.50086816627435 g
- Protein 12.3114205538204 g
- Saturated Fat 4.49621241876694 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (363g)
- Sodium 490.75802362486 mg
- Sugar 10.8735448360565 g
- Trans Fat 1.7871705543867 g
- Calories 209 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown and drain hamburger, combine all ingredients.
- I like to bring it to a boil and then simmer it for an hour (covered).
Standard beef vegetable soup relies on slow-simmered chuck roasts, whereas this preparation utilizes ground meat for a fundamentally different texture. Browning the ground beef in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven renders out excess fat before the liquids enter the pot. Drain the rendered fat through a fine-mesh metal strainer if you prefer a leaner broth. That initial high-heat sear develops deep Maillard compounds on the surface of the meat. Those browned bits dissolve into the stock later when the water and tomatoes are added.
Using canned tomatoes introduces a high level of natural acidity that fresh summer fruit rarely matches consistently out of season. Canned varieties also provide a uniform moisture content that keeps the liquid ratios stable throughout the simmer. Fresh carrots and celery contribute structural crunch initially, softening steadily over the duration of the cooking window. Dice those root vegetables to a uniform quarter-inch thickness so they tenderize at the identical rate in the pot.
Barley requires ample moisture and sustained heat to hydrate properly without remaining chalky at the core. Pearl barley absorbs roughly three times its volume in liquid as it cooks. Add the grains directly to the simmering broth rather than pre-boiling them separately. This method allows the escaping starches from the grain to thicken the surrounding stock naturally. Dried basil and a single bay leaf release aromatic essential oils slowly into the steam over the course of the hour.
Allow the finished soup to rest off the heat for ten minutes before serving to let the internal temperature drop below a scalding 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Store leftovers in airtight glass containers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat individual portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until the center reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing is not recommended because the barley grain breaks down structurally upon thawing, turning the broth mushy.
