Today, I am trying out making beef minestrone. I bought beef chuck and bone-in beef short ribs, which were not on sale. But carrot, onion, potato, and cannellini beans were on sale. My beef minestrone is a trial and error. I am tasting as I go while cooking; my mind keeps telling me to add balsamic glaze. I didn’t make a big pot as I am just trying it out; I don’t like wasting food. In addition to it, for garnish, I am using spring onion from my garden for colouring.

Google: “The word minestrone, meaning a thick vegetable soup, is attested in English from 1871. It is from Italian minestrone, the augmentative form of minestra, ‘soup’, or more literally ‘that which is served’, from minestrare, ‘to serve’. Because of its unique origins and the absence of a fixed recipe, minestrone varies widely across Italy depending on traditional cooking times, ingredients, and season. Minestrone ranges from a thick and dense texture with very boiled-down vegetables to a more brothy soup with large quantities of diced and lightly cooked vegetables; it may also include meats.”

Google: “Beef cooked into a soup faces the same challenge as beef cooked into a stew: We want to cook it long enough that its flavour can infuse the surrounding liquid, making a soup that tastes truly beefy, but we don’t want the beef drying out or becoming tough in the process. That means going for collagen-rich cuts. Collagen-rich cuts, like chuck and short rib, on the other hand, are tough when cooked for a brief period of time, but tenderize with low, slow cooking. Their collagen breaks down and converts into gelatin, which gives the meat moistness even as water is cooked out of the muscle fibers.”

Google: “The term balsamico in “balsamic vinegar” originates from the Latin word balsamum and the Greek word βάλσαμον, both conveying the idea of something “restorative” or “curative”.”

Well, I am glad to try out and use balsamic glaze. My beef minestrone soup is sweet and tangy with a complex flavour, hearty, and delicious. Let’s cook!!!!

Ingredients

250 g chuck boneless, (ask the butcher to cut into cubes or bite size)
150 g bone-in beef short ribs, (ask the butcher to remove and reserve the bones for me as I don’t feel comfortable doing it myself)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 potato, peeled, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf, put in a pouch
5 whole black peppercorns, put in a pouch
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 c of guinness stout, or red wine 375 ml
1 c tomato juice
1/2 c water  
4 Tbs flour
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tsp dried oregano, put in a pouch
1 Tsp dried basil, put in a pouch
2 Tsp Italian seasoning, put in a pouch
balsamic glaze or vinegar
salt
black pepper
oil
spring onion, garnish (OPT)

Method

Wash and pat both meats dry with paper towels, then season both meats with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, heat 1 1/2 Tbs oil over high heat until lightly smoking. Working in batches, if necessary, add both meats and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large platter.

If Dutch oven looks dry, add some more oil. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Stir in flour, then slowly pour in beef stock while constantly stirring. Add beer, tomato juice, water, tomato paste, bay leaf, black peppercorns, dried oregano, dried basil, and Italian seasoning, stir well. Then add the meat back in, scrape up any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven.

Cover, adjust heat to medium low so it’s bubbling gently. Simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes; skim any foam that rises to the top or until beef is pretty tender. Discard bones and herb pouch. Add potatoes, squirt about 1-2 Tsp balsamic glaze and simmer for a further 20 minutes without the lid. Add cannellini beans in the last 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper; if needed squirt a bit more balsamic glaze. The soup is ready when the potatoes are cooked and beef is very tender. Spoon into bowls. Garnish with spring onion for colouring. Serve with buttered pane de casa or any crusty bread. Enjoy!!!

Note: Look for beef that’s nicely marbled with fat for best results such as any stewing or braising beef. You can use Scotch fillets. Instead of Guinness stout, you can use red wine such as Cab Sauvignon and Merlot are best. You can add celery about 2-3 stalks. You can add chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, or zucchini. If you don’t like beer or wine, you can add 400 g can of crushed tomato; 1-2 Tsp Worcestershire sauce instead of balsamic glaze. You can garnish with parsley.

https://helenscchin.com/2025/01/17/beef-minestrone-soup/

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