Cracker Barrel Beef and Cabbage Soup
If you love taking meals from cracker barrel, you’ll definitely enjoy a homemade version of the famous cracker barrel beef and cabbage soup.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of lean beef cut intosmall cubes
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 thinly chopped red onion
- 2 minced cloves of garlic
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 cups of water
- A can of cubed undrained tomatoes (14ounces)
- 6 small sliced carrots
- 4 cups of thinly chopped cabbage
- 1 large potato cut into cubes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. ground thyme
- 1 tsp. ground oregano
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Enough pepper and salt to taste
- Optional fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat your cooking oil in a cooking pot and add in the cubed beef.
- Add some salt and pepper to season.
- Cook the beef on low heat while occasionally stirring until it’s evenly brown with a nice sear.
- Be sure not to use high heat. Low heat allows the beef to cook evenly and eventually release excellent flavors to the soup.
- Once evenly brown, put the beef in a plate or bowl and put aside.
- In the same pot, add the onions together with garlic and cook on low heat for 3 minutes. Incorporate the broth and water, then the tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, and finally the potatoes.
- Toss in the seasonings; bay leaves, paprika, oregano, and thyme. Stir the mixture and cover to boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and put the beef back into the pot to tenderize. Simmer the soup for 30-45 minutes or until the beef tenderizes and flavors are well infused.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Remove the bay leaves and set ready to serve with a garnish of freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
- Ensure you do not brown the beef on high heat because you will get it burnt or browned without reserving its rich flavors. Browning too fast means you will get a less flavorful soup.
- Avoid leaving the soup to simmer for too long as the soup will be very thick and little. If this happens, add more broth or water and simmer for a few minutes to infuse the flavors.