Beefy Chuckwagon Soup

User Rating4.5 Star Rating(2 Reviews)

By Diana Rattray

southernfood.about.com

Beefy Chuckwagon Soup

Diana Rattray

Ground beef and beans make this a hearty soup, and tomatoes, chopped vegetables, and spicy seasonings make it flavorful. Serve this soup for lunch or dinner with fresh baked cornbread.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chile peppers
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper or a dash of cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) beans (pinto, great northern, small red, or mixture), drained

Preparation:

Cook bacon in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Cook until crisp; remove bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. To the drippings, add beef, chopped onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until beef is browned. Add the carrots, beef broth, tomatoes, chile peppers, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and chipotle pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add the drained beans. Taste and add pepper and more salt, if necessary. Simmer for about 15 minutes longer.
Serves 6 to 8.