Jack's Old-Fashioned Beef and Vegetable Soup

Each generation added to this recipe, from my mother, my father's mother Emmazettat Bolan born in 1860 in Pine Creek, Ohio, Elizabeth Ann Pemberton Bolan, and from her mother Margaret McCrary born in 1786 in Carolina. It's a very hearty soup my family begs for. I am now 76 and have yet to find one as rich. Serve in large soup plates with hot French bread.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 184 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ cup white rice
• ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ¼ cup elbow macaroni
• 1 quart water
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 quart beef stock
• 2 pounds beef soup bones
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
• ⅓ pound lean round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
• ¼ cup dry black beans
• ¼ cup dried split peas
• ¼ cup chopped cabbage

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat; cook the onion, celery, and steak in the melted butter until the onions caramelize, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the beef stock, water, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano, and soup bones; lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 3 hours, skimming froth off the top of the soup as it develops.

Step 2

Add the potato, carrot, bell pepper, black beans, split peas, rice, macaroni, tomatoes in puree, cabbage, and red wine to the stockpot. Simmer 1 hour more. Remove the soup bones, scraping any meat from them back into the pot. Season with salt and pepper to serve.