OK, I'm just going to write this like I make it. May be a little annoying because I didn't list ingredients, but I am lazy. And y'all are smart enough to figure it out.
Melt about 1/2 cup oil in big soup pot. I have used butter, olive oil...whatever. And I have made it in too small a pot...it seems to grow. So use a BIG pot, 3qts or more.
I cut about a pound of any lean beef...chuck roast, round steak, London broil... into 1" cubes. Use more if you have carnivores in the family.
If you want SOUP(thinner liquid), just salt and pepper the beef. If you want STEW(thicker liquid), coat meat with a mixture of flour, salt, pepper and a little garlic powder. Then place in pot that you have heated oil to medium high heat. You want to deeply brown(but not burn) the meat for a rich flavor. Stir it around to keep it from sticking, scraping any brown stuff off the bottom.
When all sides of all cubes are nice and brown, turn heat down to medium and add a large onion, chopped. Keep stirring it around til kinda transparent. Add about 2 cups of hot water that you have dissolved 5 beef boullion cubes in, stir and cover. Boil gently for about a half hour, stir occasionally and add water if it looks low.
While this is simmering...cut up your vegetables. Anything you like.
I use...
3 red potatoes, cubed
3 turnips, cubed (so people don't know they are turnips and think it is just more potatoes)
3 carrots, sliced into coins
I like things in "3s"
1 small head of cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces (guess that depends on how big your peoples' mouths' are, haha)
A handful of frozen green beans
A handful of frozen lima beans (no way to hide these from people, so they'll have to just pick them out. Yes, I had picky sons)
I like frozen because they hold their shape well.
Add a large can of petite diced tomatoes and a tomato can of water to beef. Throw in all the vegetables you prepared. Add about a tsp. of onion powder and a TBS. of Redhot sauce...not real hot, but a nice flavor. Simmer...nice slow bubbles popping the surface...for close to an hour. Stir sometimes to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom. Take some out occasionally, and see if it's tender...if so...it's ready!
You want there to be enough liquid. If you are stirring a solid mass of vegetables...add water.
And...right before you are ready to eat, add 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese and stir well.
Some people like corn kernels added. Or frozen peas. Anything you like will be fine. You can also add a packet of brown gravy mix to thicken the "juice". Taste from time to time and add more salt or seaoning to suit your taste. As with most things, this is even better the next day after flavors have blended. AND, it's even good if you use ground beef instead of cubes.
Hope ya like it.
