Wintery Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 0.5 tablespoon butter 
• 0.5 tablespoon cooking oil 
• 2 pounds beef chuck or any tougher, stew-worthy cut)
• 1 quart water 
• 4 slices bacon thick-cut
• 2 large sweet potatoes and into 
• 2 large parsnips diced
• 2 large carrots diced
• 2 large celery stalks diced
• 1 large onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic 
• 0.3  cabbage red sliced thin
• 0.3  cabbage green sliced thin
• 1 sprigs thyme leaves 
• 1 sprigs parsley 
• 2  bay leaves 
• 2 quarts water 
• 8 servings pepper black

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• pot
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Begin by melting the butter with the oil in a large Dutch oven. Brown your beef well on all sides.
2. Once all sides are browned, drain off any excess fat in pan (more than a tsp.) and add 1 qt. of stock to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover pan and simmer gently for until meat is fork tender, ~2 1/2 hours.
3. When beef is finished, transfer it to a large bowl with any juices and let cool until able to handle, then shred it.
4. In the same pot you cooked the beef in, add the bacon and cook just done.
5. Remove bacon, but leave fat in pan.
6. Add veggies and cook until just beginning to soften.
7. Add shredded beef and reserved bacon back to pot along with herbs.
8. Add 2 qts. stock (or more to just cover) and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, ~10 minutes or so.
9. I let it sit, covered for at least an hour to allow the flavors to come together.
10. Remove herb stems and bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper (and salt if needed, depends on the saltiness of the liquid you used, so taste first).
11. To serve, drizzle with a glug of balsamic vinegar and grate some fresh parmesan over the top.
12. Sprinkle with fresh, chopped herbs and more black pepper, if desired.