Veggie-Beef-Barley Soup
3# chuck roast or round steak
enough oil to brown meat
2 bags(8oz) frozen corn
3 bags (8oz) frozen mixed veggies
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups barley
1 large can beef broth
2 cans veggie juice(like V-8)
1 cup rice
2 cups diced onion
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced okra
2 to 3# diced peeled potatoes
diced cabbage as much or as little as you like
spices, herbs to taste but should include pepper, thyme, bay leaf,
fresh garlic diced and cooked with meat
tobasco and salt to be added with individual servings
Dice up meat as small or as large as you like(1/2 is nice). Brown in skillet
and at the end of the browning add, garlic and onion, mix and turn heat down.
In soup pot (mine is 24qts) add potatoes and beef broth & slow boil till taters
are medium soft. Now start adding the thawed veggies, plus diced tomatoes,
celery and okra. Now add 1 can of veggie juice and bring to a very mild boil.
Add barley wait till it comes back to boil and add rice when it comes back to
a mild boil again add meat mixture. During this whole process stir as often
as you can.
Bring what you have back to a mild boil and start adding your herbs and spices.
Stir, stir, stir and turn heat down very low. Simmer uncovered for at least
1 hour while stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. This is meant to be a very heavy,
and hearty soup...If there is a secret to success let it all cool down to
warm or even cold and then re-heat very slowly to a low boil while stirring
every time you think of it. Add veggie juice if needed
Hint: Anytime you can use fresh rather than frozen veggies do so... it
makes a difference, just requires a bit more cooking time.. Also properly
frozen it will hold for at least 6months. Add salt and tobasco when served,
everyone is different on these two ingredients.
This requires at least a day of prep, but overall i like to allow 1 1/2
days.....Enjoy
Submitted by Snake-eyes