Fall Harvest Beef Soup

I should be making something "Halloween-ish".  But I didn't.  I made this instead.
Just a few weeks ago the landscape looked like this...

Last weekend it looked like this...

And

today it is raining and the high daytime temperature is 48 degrees F. 

So I made soup.

Not just any soup but Harvest Soup.  It's full of root vegetables, beef, tomatoes, squash, and the secret ingredient...wait for it...an apple.  You heard me right; an apple.  Don't be tempted to leave it out because it lends just a bit of tartness.  You can't see it or isolate the flavor in the soup but it's so good.

You can use leftover beef or use one of the preparations for it below.  This sou[ is even better the next day, which is a good thing for us because the forecast is for even colder weather tomorrow.

Fall Harvest Beef Soup

3 medium potatoes, cubed

3 carrots, sliced

1 sweet pepper, cubed

1 medium yellow, onion cubed

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1 small sweet potato, cubed

¼ lb. of brown mushrooms (porcini), sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

¼ head of green cabbage, sliced

1 small apple, cubed

1 ½ cups of green peas (or 1-14 oz. can, drained)

1 ½ cups of corn kernels (or 1-14 oz. can, drained)

64 oz. of tomato juice or vegetable juice

4 cups of water or 4 cups of beef broth (in addition to the meat drippings)

1 ½ lbs. of chuck roast, cut into 2 inch cubes with fat removed (*May use leftover roast beef as well.     Just increase the beef broth in the soup by 1 cup.)

1 Tablespoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon of kosher salt (may add more of less to taste)

Cook roast with the onion and 1 cup of beef broth either in the oven for a few hours or in a pressure cooker. If using a pressure cooker, follow instructions on the cooker. For roast, braise at 350º F. for 2 hours. Save broth from either method to add to the soup. Remove any fat still on the meat after cooking and discard. Set the beef aside.

Put all ingredients except the beef and drippings into a stock pot and simmer for 1 hour. Add the beef/drippings and simmer for 30 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning.

Serves 14-16 people.

*You may add any vegetables that you have in your garden or refrigerator. This is a great recipe for odds and ends. You may add fresh tomatoes in with the tomato juice.

Linked to Turning the Table Thursday