Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Recipes (https://www.quiltingboard.com/recipes-f8/)
-   -   Please help me with cooking ..... (https://www.quiltingboard.com/recipes-f8/please-help-me-cooking-t205482.html)

luce321 11-08-2012 04:27 PM

Please help me with cooking .....
 
The last few times I cooked Beef Vegetable soup, the meat always comes out tough. I usually put it in the pot in the beginning with the veggies. Am I cooking it too long, should I put it in the pot later? HELP


Lucy

TnBecky 11-08-2012 04:35 PM

I just simmer the meat by itself until tender, 1-2 hours then I add the veggies. I never try to cook meat to fast or on a high heat. It turns out tough for me. I hope this might help. I love this soup for cold winter nights. :thumbup:

QuiltnNan 11-08-2012 05:15 PM

cooking meat slowly breaks down the fibers

ging10ging 11-08-2012 05:36 PM

I always cut it up small and then cook it very slow on low heat for a couple of hrs and then add veg. etc. Good luck. Sue

barny 11-08-2012 05:41 PM

I cook my meat in my pressure cooker for 30 minutes the day before I make soup. The next day, when cold, I dip the hardened grease off and pitch it and then have my veggies ready to cook. I cut my meat up into bite sized pieces, put it in my pot, strain the broth,into my pot and cook all together.

Patti25314 11-08-2012 06:09 PM

I cook my meat first, too, and slowly. I try to buy the best cut of beef that I can as some are more grisly than others. You are making me hungry for pot roast!

Neesie 11-08-2012 06:28 PM

As long as you have plenty of liquid in the pot, the longer you cook beef, the more tender it'll be.

TanyaL 11-08-2012 06:59 PM

Sometimes I put my beef in the crock pot and cook it all night on slow before making the soup the next day. I want it to cut with a fork. I make a LOT of soup, so it depends on how many pounds of beef I am cooking. Usually not more than 3or 4 through.

Quilting Grandma 11-08-2012 07:08 PM

Just made vegetable beef soup tonight. Browned the meat in oil on med high heat to seal in the juices ,added onions, cabbage cooked til soft. Added water, canned tomatoes, potatoes, mixed veggies and simmered for 4 hours. Yummy, tender. I add garlic and chipotle Tabasco during the last hour. Works every time. My grandma started her soup right after breakfast dishes were done and cooked it all day.

Vat 11-09-2012 04:16 AM

I use ground beef in mine, but you can pressure cook it and it will just fall apart.

kathbug 11-09-2012 05:29 AM

First what kind of meat are you using. Some meat an be tough even in soup. The best for soup is shoulder blade chuck roast, them bottom round beef roast. These will cook up tender and fall apart in your soup. Hope this helped

TanyaL 11-09-2012 06:50 AM

Soup will taste best if your meat includes a good sized bone. The marrow in the bone adds a wonderful flavor that plain meat just doesn't. Ox tail soup is an old fashioned, delicious vegetable soup that is still wonderful. I have a couple of grocery stores in my area that debone all of their meat. UGH! Don't buy from them when I can help it.

Geri B 11-09-2012 06:58 AM

unless you are cooking filet mignon..........almost every other beef cut I cook low and long.....be it in the crock pot, oven or on top burners

champagnebubbles 11-09-2012 08:07 AM


Originally Posted by TanyaL (Post 5644499)
Sometimes I put my beef in the crock pot and cook it all night on slow before making the soup the next day. I want it to cut with a fork. I make a LOT of soup, so it depends on how many pounds of beef I am cooking. Usually not more than 3or 4 through.

This is how I do it. Works every time!

solstice3 11-09-2012 10:09 AM

slow cook with lipton's soup mix.. MMMMMM...then add veggies

SouthPStitches 11-09-2012 01:33 PM

If you cook it in one chunk until tender, then remove and cut into reasonable pieces. Or if you are using beef cubes right from the start, brown first, then add onion and garlic and enough water to cover bottom of pan and only half way up the meat. Keep adding a little water or broth until almost tender. Then add the rest of the needed liquid and veggies and simmer slowly. The meat needs to be braised to make it tender. If it's in a big vat of water/broth from the beginning of the cooking process, you've boiled the meat and it gets tough. Years ago this wasn't always the case, but now the meat is so lean.

cherrio 11-09-2012 01:44 PM

I always beat the meat with a tenderizer or a large heavy metal sppoon will work. beat it-add a lil adolph's tenderizer if it is a cheaper cut. and I agree the lipton soup mix is a great flavor booster. we use a can of tomato soup and a can of mushroom soup. the soup mix. meat and veggies of your choice. slow cook. delish

KyKaren1949 11-09-2012 02:24 PM

I agree, simmer it very slowly with chopped onion, chopped celery and beef broth for about an hour, then add the remaining ingredients. I try to make a large roast first so I'll have roast beef left over to make into a stew or soup. It's very tender that way.

charlotte37830 11-09-2012 04:55 PM

I too cook mine a couple of hours slowly. Also, you want a cut of meat that has marbling in it. Not thick gristle, but just thin streaking of fat. I also add seasoning (except salt, it makes it tough), garlic and onion to season the broth while the meat is cooking. I add salt if needed when I add the veggies. I add every veggie I can think of that I can sneak in.

Edie 11-10-2012 03:50 AM

I start any soup around 5:00 AM and cook it ALL day long, low and slow. I cook with beef, venison or chicken, turkey and it always turns out nice and tender. The longer it cooks, the tender-er it gets. Either crock pot or top of stove, makes no never mind, it turns out! Venison is almost more tender than beef. Good luck. I don't make a big deal out of soup, just throw in whatever is available, barley for sure with beef and venison - rice or noodles with chicken and turkey. The more you tend to it, the more it tends to bite you in the butt!!!!!!!! We enjoy "slop" suppers the most around here. That is usually reserved for Thursday (the night the refrigerator gets emptied) - shopping on Friday. So whatever is floating around in the fridge without any green on it, goes in the pot. I can make a mean soup! You wanna try something absolutely delicious and fast????? Bear Creek Bean Soup mix (in a bag) - about $3.49. Makes a lot of soup and then I add diced ham to it! Does that make a super soup!!!! Haven't tried the other Bear Creek, because I like to make my own, but my Mom made it (age 96) and gave me a taste and I was hooked. Has a little kick to it. Good on a cold night!!!!! Have fun with your soup! Edie

Just Me... 11-10-2012 04:48 AM


Originally Posted by Vat (Post 5644903)
I use ground beef in mine, but you can pressure cook it and it will just fall apart.

I was just going to suggest this. My MIL used to do this.

oleganny 11-10-2012 05:38 AM

I use a cheap beef roast (chuck, arm, etc) I flour & sear the meat on all sides in a bit of oil, then soften onion, celery, shredded carrot in the same oil & add to the roast, cover with foil (or tight fitting lid & roast at low heat until falling apart. I then shred the beef & chop the shreds (not too small) I strain out the veggie bits from the liquid in the pot & save the liquid - also deglaze the pan if any browned bits are left in it. I do this the day before I make the soup. Then I just combine the beef, liquid & veggies I have on hand. I never add all the veggies at the same time, because some cook faster than others & I don't want any of them mushy - lol. I never need all the beef for my soup, so what is left I can use for beef & noodles, bbq beef, or just freeze & save for the next pot of soup.

hugs,
Shirley in Indiana

lillybeck 11-10-2012 05:50 AM

I too boil my beef before my veggies. It is a myth that you can boil beef too long.

craftymatt2 11-10-2012 10:06 AM

yummy, now i am hungry for soup, thank you for all the tips and suggestions

quiltmom04 11-10-2012 12:12 PM

You're probably not cooking it long enough. Cook the meat first, low, slow heat, but don't add the vegetables till later or they'll get all mushy. When I'm not using ground beef, I use a chuck roast and add a soup bone ( I can generally get one at the butchers) and cook the beef till its fork tender - usually several hours- then take out the bone and pull the roast apart like a pulled beef sandwich. Put it back in and then add the veggies. Not a fast process, but by the end of the day, the house sure does smell good!

mjhaess 11-10-2012 04:15 PM

I brown the meat in a pot and then I put it in the crockpot with all the veggies and let it cook for seven or eight hours...The meat is always falling apart....

quiltingcandy 11-10-2012 04:28 PM

After watching "In The Kitchen with David" on QVC and Bob Warden with his pressure cooker I have had the best beef stew in about and hour - maybe a little longer depending how much meat I buy. But I also throw in some red wine - helps break down the meat. But I pressure cook the meat first then later take out the meat cut it up, add all the vegetables (except the peas and corn) and bring it back to pressure for 5 more minutes. Release the pressure and add the flour to thicken it and then add the peas and corn.

saveaquilt 11-10-2012 06:37 PM

I think it does depend on the cut of meat you are using. Chuck roast you need to cook low and slow. Looks like you got a lot of good advice here.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:37 AM.