My Illinois Grandmother’s Hearty Beef And Vegetable Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 large yellow onions, halved lengthwise and each half sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 medium celery ribs, trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick (include some tops)
• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed
• 2 large whole bay leaves (preferably fresh)
• 1 quart beef broth or 1 quart vegetable broth or 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with their liquid
• 1 cup cold water (about)
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 lb peeled baby carrots
• 2 cups coleslaw mix (packaged mix)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in a large dutch oven over med-high heat until ripples appear on pan bottom, 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
• 2 brown beef in two batches, allowing about 10 minutes per batch and lifting each to a bowl as it browns.
• 3 add onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaves to pot and sauté, stirring often, until limp, 6-8 minutes.
• 4 return beef to pot along with accumulated juices, add broth, tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• 5 adjust heat so liquid bubbles slowly, cover, and simmer 1 ½ hours.
• 6 add potatoes, carrots, slaw mix, and if liquid seems skimpy, a little more water.
• 7 cover and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, 40-45 minutes.
• 8 discard bay leaves, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.
• 9 mix in parsley, ladle into heated large soup plates, and serve with chunks of crusty country bread.