Hearty Red Wine Bean and Beef Soup

Rich, robust and full flavored, this Bean and Beef Soup is a hearty meal. A perfect warm blanket Winter soup to keep you cozy.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings

Calories 489kcal

3 ½ Cups Cooked dried beans ½ pound dried beans will equal about 3 ½ cups when cooked.
6 Tablespoons Neutral oil divided. Canola and vegetable oil work well here.
1 cup Sweet onion chopped
1 cup Celery chopped
1 cup Carrot chopped
3 Bell peppers stemmed, seeded and diced. I like to use a package of the tri-colored peppers.
4 Cloves garlic diced
1 teaspoon Summer Savory dried
1 teaspoon Basil dried
½ teaspoon Chile powder Preferably New Mexico red chile powder or ancho chile powder.
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds Top Sirloin Beef Steak cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup All purpose flour or enough to coat meat
6 cups Beef broth
2 cups Hearty red wine Merlot or Cabernet work well here
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Pickapeppa or Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Tomato paste
1 cup Sour cream

Prepare the beans ahead. Cook ½ pound of dried beans in a slow cooker with water, a scoop of lard, and a bay leaf on low for about five hours, or until tender. Measure out 3½ cups of cooked beans for the soup. Prepare the beans the day before if desired.
Sauté the vegetables. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the peppers and garlic. Stir in the bell peppers and cook for three minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Season the vegetables. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the summer savory, basil, chile powder, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
Coat the beef. Toss the sirloin pieces with enough flour to coat lightly. Shake off excess flour.
Brown the beef. Heat the remaining four tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the beef on both sides in two batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pot.
Make the broth. Add the beef broth, red wine, honey, Pickapeppa sauce, and tomato paste. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Add the beans and vegetables. Stir in the cooked beans and reserved vegetable mixture. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes, until the flavors have blended.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream.

Tip for Success

Cook the dried beans before making the soup; they need longer than the beef to become tender.
The canned-bean alternative listed in the original article is two 15½-ounce cans of pinto or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
Use dried thyme if summer savory is unavailable.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Serve with cheesy cornbread for a satisfying meal.