BEEF AND VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPES

Steps:

• If your slow cooker has a browning feature, as mine does, put your oil, butter, or bacon grease in the pan and brown the stew meat until seared on all sides. Otherwise use a skillet and transfer the meat to the slow cooker and use some of the beef broth to deglaze your skillet and pour that into the cooker.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients. Stir well and set to Low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours, depending on how hot and fast your cooker cooks.
• Depending on how thick or thin you like your soup you can add more stock when adding the carrots and potatoes. When those vegetables are done taste again because they will soak up a lot of the salt. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve over rice or elbow noodles if you like it thick like a stew or serve as is if you like it as a soup.

Steps:

• Cut meat into small, bite-size (1/2") pieces.
• In a large pot or dutch oven, saute meat in 1 T oil on medium-high heat until all sides are brown.
• Set aside on a plate.
• Chop celery, onion, potatoes, and carrots into bite-size pieces.
• Saute celery and onion in remaining 1 T oil until onion is golden (about 10 minutes).
• Add browned beef, water, broth, tomatoes with juices, carrots, potatoes, corn, bay leaves and garlic.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until beef is almost tender, about an hour.
• Add peas and hot sauce to soup.
• Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Serve and season with freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce, or crumbled saltines, if desired.