Mar 29 2013
Before long soups and stews will wait for next fall and winter and we will be cooking summer food. I found this recipe at Saveur and knew I had to try it. I didn’t think I would like the sweet and sour so I left that out, changed some of the ingredients and altered the cooking method to use my Traeger and get some smoke flavor in the meat.
The original recipe can be found at Saveur.com and was called Russian Beef Sweet and Sour Soup.
Last night I mixed up a batch of Cajun crackers and smoked them to go along with my soup. After they were done I smoked the meat for the soup.
I fixed this for myself since my wife was gone but she may like it. I left it pretty mild and will take some to my Mother tomorrow.
It took me about 45 minutes to get everything sautéed and in the stock pot simmering. My wife called and made it to Chicago OK.
I had a bowl for my supper, added some more cracked pepper and some Cholula hot sauce. The Cajun crackers were good with it but the broth was so good I wished I had some good crusty bread for dipping.
Recipe:
1 lb. beef chuck, trimmed or any good beef
8 oz. kielbasa sausage
4 oz. boneless ham steak
2 oz. hard salami
4 oz. sliced bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 pablano pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 (15-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed
1 (4 oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 small head green cabbage, cut in squares
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 quart beef broth
For the beef I used a couple pieces of top round sirloin, seasoned with a little coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Smoke the meat for 1 ½ hours at 180 deg.
Dice up the bacon and render it in a large skillet, while it is on, dice up the rest of the meats about ½ inch.
When the bacon is brown remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the rest of the meat except for the beef and brown some.
Add the beef and heat through. Dice up the onion, pablano pepper and celery, add it to the skillet. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, adding some salt and pepper. Add the can of tomato paste, stir and let it simmer awhile.
Add the reserved bacon to a 5 or 6 quart stock pot. Add the meat and veggies from the skillet. While that’s simmering cut up the cabbage and add to the pot. Let simmer awhile.
Add the crushed tomatoes with the juice and the beef broth. Add the bay leaf, bring to a boil and then simmer about an hour with the lid off. After an hour add the smoked paprika and cover. Simmer on low another hour. Before serving test for seasoning and add if needed.
It would be good served with some sour cream and diced green onions. The broth is good so some crusty bread would be good to dip.
If you like hot add jalapenos or hot sauce. I left mine mild to add heat when served and had mine with more cracked pepper and some Cholula hot sauce.
My crackers
Soup ingredients
Celery, onions and peppers
Cabbage diced
On the smoker
The beef
Bacon
Meat added to the skillet
Celery, onions and pepper added
Tomato sauce added
Soups On
My Supper
Smokin Don
