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Just Like Grandma’s Beef Vegetable Soup

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beef vegetable soup

 

 

To this day, whenever I make a pot of this, it’s all I can do not to INHALE my soup and rush through the whole entire bowl!

I literally have to tell myself to slow down, enjoy each bite to the fullest, and that it’s not a race to the bottom of the pot! This homemade beef vegetable soup is just plain and simply…that good.

It’s the way my Grandmother made it, my Mom makes it, and now me. I’ve tweaked it just a bit and added the veggies that I enjoy most plus a few extra seasonings, but it’s still the same comforting bowl of soup that I so very much loved all through my entire childhood.

I also make mine the same way it’s been done in my family for more generations than I can count, with a pressure cooker. They aren’t scary. They’ve come a long way. And they’re perfectly safe! Just follow the simple directions and you’ll be just fine.

 

 

 

I couldn’t imagine not using one. It makes the meat so tender and different than you can ever get by simmering for hours. Oh, you can simmer the meat until it’s fall apart tender, too, but this is soooo much easier! And you just don’t get the same results. 

You could try this in a crock pot if you’d like, searing the meat and all first, but why?? People,s ay that it easier and saves time… Pressure cookers were designed to take a fraction of time, and make tough cuts of meat melt-in-your-mouth tender. So…again I say..why would you want to spend 8 – 10 hours on something, that could otherwise take a fraction of the time? Right? 😉

Besides, to me anyways, there’s just something so comforting about the sound of the regulator rocking! Every time I use my cooker, I feel like I stepped back in time and I’m back at my Grandma’s house! I will always keep using it if not just for that reason alone. 😉  

So please give pressure cookery a try! Next time you’re out at a department store, go check them out! You can either go the simple, old-fashioned way like mine, or, check out the new fancy-schmancy models they have. If you don’t like the sound of them, they even have ones that make no sound at all. 

And by all means, don’t miss out on this soup! It’s truly the best and will have you stepping back in time to simpler times after the very first bite! Hope you enjoy and have a most wonderful day! 😀 

 

 

 

 

JUST LIKE GRANDMA’S BEEF VEGETABLE SOUP

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 – 31/2 lbs. beef chuck, arm or blade roast cut into large bite-sized pieces and trimmed of fat (*beef will shrink when cooked so cut larger than you’d like)

1 (10 .5 oz.) can beef consommé, I like Campbell’s

1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, I like Hunt’s

1/2 of a large onion, chopped

1 large bay leaf

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. minced garlic

3 red potatoes, unpeeled and cut bite-sized

3 ribs celery, sliced

second half of large onion, chopped

second (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

8 oz. bag sweet baby carrots, cut into fourths

half of a small head of cabbage, cut bite-sized

1 (32. oz.) carton beef broth

1/2 Tbl. Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed dried thyme

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

3-4 Tbl. sugar, (*I always add 4 but you may like a bit less)

1 Tbl. butter

1 (14.5 oz.) can cut green beans, drained

1 (11 oz.) can white shoepeg corn, with the juice

 

DIRECTIONS:

In pressure cooker, add oil. Heat until hot over medium-high heat. Add meat and sear outsides until lightly browned. *Don’t stir right away, let it brown a bit first, then you can stir. Add next 8 ingredients.  Place on lid securely according to your pressure cooker’s directions. *Place on regulator if it has one like mine does.

If using the old kind like me, let the pressure build up until the regulator starts to rock. Turn down and adjust heat to a steady rock. I do mine over medium-low heat. As soon as it’s at a steady rock, set the timer for 8-9 minutes. When done, carefully move cooker to a cool spot on the stove and let it sit. Do not open and let the pressure drop on it’s own accord. *Time will depend on sizes of pieces and how tender the cut of meat is. I’ve done it for 10 minutes before for an extra-tough cut if that helps. 

While cooker is cooling, cut up veggies. By the time you get done it should be ready to open but check all of the valves to make sure. Open pressure cooker and move back to your preferred burner.

Add rest of ingredients except green beans and corn. It will seem like a lot but don’t worry. Everything continues to cook down.

Continue to cook over medium-low heat at a simmer, uncovered, until all is tender. About 20 minutes.

Add drained green beans, and corn with the juice, and return to a simmer and heat just until heated through. About another 5-10 minutes. 

*Try not to over-stir. I’m an “over-stirrer” and the more you do that the more you’ll break up the meat and veggies. So only stir as needed, more just getting underneath, to loosen bottom and only giving a VERY gentle fold rather than a stir.