This is a long-simmer soup, the kind that rewards patience more than technique. Rendering the bacon fat first, then browning the beef in it, is what gives the broth its depth — skip that step and you’ll end up with something thinner and less interesting than what three hours on the stove should produce.
What You’ll Need
- 1-1/4 pounds beef top round roast
- 1 slice thick-cut bacon (or 2 slices regular), finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 medium ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1/2 cup rich red wine (a cabernet sauvignon works well)
- 1/4 cup A-1 sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (bottled chopped garlic works too)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
- 8 to 9 cups water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled (or 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
- 1/2 large head green cabbage (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch dice
- 1 (3-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
How to Put It Together
1. Prep the meat and render the fat
Trim the beef, keeping the trimmed fat rather than tossing it. Cut the beef into 1/2-inch cubes and the reserved fat into 1/4-inch cubes. In a large nonreactive pot — a 6-quart pot works well — add the bacon and beef fat together. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the fat has rendered out and what’s left of the fat and bacon pieces has browned without burning. Pull those browned bits out and set them aside, leaving the rendered liquid fat in the pot.
2. Sauté the aromatics and beef
Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and green pepper in that fat for about 4 minutes, until everything softens and turns fragrant. Add the beef, bump the heat to medium-high, and sauté for about 3 minutes, just until the meat starts taking on some color. Return the browned bacon and fat pieces back into the pot.
3. Build the flavor base
Stir in the wine, A-1 sauce, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, thyme, and caraway seeds, and let that cook together for about a minute. Pour in 8 cups of water and add the crumbled bouillon (or bouillon base), stirring until it’s fully dissolved.
4. The long simmer
Add the cabbage and roasted red peppers, then bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, until the scum stops rising to the surface — skim it off as needed. Partially cover the pot and let it simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming again if more scum forms.
5. Adjust and thin
Taste and adjust the seasoning once it’s done. If the soup’s gotten too thick over that long simmer, thin it out with a bit more water — adding about a cup at the end is usually perfect.
Nutritional Information
Servings: The stats below are calculated per 1-cup serving.
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 110 |
| Calories from Fat | 20% |
| Protein | 14 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 8 grams |
| Total Fiber | 2 grams |
| Total Fat | 2 grams |
| Cholesterol | 30 milligrams |
| Sodium | 622 milligrams |