THE BEST HEARTY BEEF SOUP

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
32 ounces (4 cups) beef stock
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
4 cups chopped red potatoes, bite-size pieces (about 1/2")
3 cups chopped baby carrots, bite-size pieces
fresh parsley to garish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Trim hard fat (which does not melt during the cooking process) and silver skin (white and silvery looking) from beef and cut into 1 - 1 1/2" cubes. It takes about 5 minutes, but don't skip this step.  It is sooo worth it.
• Combine flour, paprika, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a large 1-gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add beef and shake until well coated.
• Warm olive oil in a large dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot), over medium-high heat, once you can feel warmth when holding your hand 6 inches from the pot, add butter. Once butter is melted, carefully add beef. Do not crowd the pot, only add about 1/2 of the beef at a time.
• Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour. Place coated beef in pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Cook in two batches, about half each time. Turn pieces until all sides are browned and remove them and place in your upside-down pot lid. Once the first batch is cooked, add the second batch and repeat.
• Meanwhile, prepare shallot and garlic. Shallot should be diced and garlic minced.  Set aside.
• Once all beef is browned, add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add beef stock, Worcestershire and Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Return beef to the pot.
• Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare potatoes and carrots. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to coat vegetables and cover. Simmer 40-50 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender. Taste broth. If necessary, add additional salt to taste (mine was perfect).
• Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES

• I do not recommend using beef stew meat.  It is a combination of cuts of meat that may not be right for this soup. The best cuts of meat to use for this beef soup are chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck. These cuts will result in meltingly tender beef that you can cut with a spoon, perfect for this dish!
• You can substitute onion for shallot if you are looking for a stronger onion flavor.
• 4 teaspoons of beef base or bouillon and 4 cups of water can be substituted for the beef stock.
• Dried Italian Seasoning is a fabulous convenience ingredient. If you do not keep it on hand, combine 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
• For a thicker stew-like consistency, cut the beef stock back to 2 cups.
• I know some people are sensitive alcohol. I will say the wine adds a fabulous rich burgundy flavor to the soup, and if you can use the cabernet, I highly recommend it. However, you can substitute with beef stock, grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice.
• Source : https://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2014/09/hearty-beef-soup-recipe.html

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