A cold wind blusters under dark skies as yet another snowstorm threatens to dump a pile of snow. The long expanse of snow clouds descends, expanding the pressure in our heads. It makes everyone in our house a little sluggish and irritable. To say we are not brimming with energy would be an understatement. We are all exhausted from winter.
Thankfully one of our winter routines requires minimal effort and keeps us nourished, warmed and full. It’s a beef vegetable soup using gorgeous meaty grass-fed beef shanks that Whole Foods stocks in the winter. This soup isn’t fancy and it changes every week depending on what we have left in the pantry and fridge on Saturday. It’s not meant to impress. This soup is a workhorse.
The bone in the center of the shank brims with marrow and is surrounded by a ruby red collar of meat. Cooked slowly, the marrow infuses the stock with deep earthy undertones, which envelope the vegetables as they simmer together.
The marrow also releases a bundle of nutrients that warm and nourish the body with necessary minerals, amino acids and collagen. Just like any stock made from bones, it provides a terrific immune boost. The surrounding meat melts off the bone in tender shards providing substance to the stock and vegetables.
I often add barley, or in this case farro. I like the way a toothy whole grain soaks up the rich broth. It adds heft to the soup, which is very welcome on the coldest days.
Growing up we had a pot of beef soup almost every Saturday for lunch. It’s a memory that crystallizes with pungent clarity the moment the soup begins to boil and its fragrance permeates the kitchen.
Saturday soup is a tradition carried forth from when my parents were children. With busy sports schedules and kids activities though, it seems we’ve lost the tradition. It’s a pity for nothing is easier than setting a pot of soup to simmer.
For years, I would sear the shank in the oven at a hot temperature then place in the pot with water and vegetables. When I’m short on time, I’ve found I enjoy it almost as much placed in the pot raw and simmered slowly over medium low heat with some water, vegetables and aromatics.
As we wait for the snow to fall, I throw the shanks in the pot and set it to simmer brimming with pride that I have actually made a move to prepare a meal and it’s not even noon. This will be perfect for the snow day feeding frenzy after a morning of sledding.
The soup has simmered for a few hours and the beef has melted away from the bone so I shred the meat, taste for seasoning, and store away in the fridge for later.
Sitting back with satisfaction and relief, I receive a text from a friend in the neighborhood. Her husband has been in the hospital all week with an infection and as she prepares to bring him home tomorrow, she finds herself diagnosed with strep. When it rains it pours…or when it snows it storms. The soup will have a new home this week.
I’ll scavenge something else for the kids and I will buy more shanks in a few days, as I always do. We will have our beef soup next Saturday. Knowing someone might be enjoying its warmth on this snowy day makes us feel warm on the inside, too.
It’s the humble power of soup.
- (2) meaty beef shanks, preferably grass-fed and/or organic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- (and ½ cups any other root vegetable desired. Potatoes, parsnips or turnips. I had some kale so I added during the last 30 minutes of simmering.)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or other dried spice combination like herbs de Provence.)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- Several grinds of black pepper, to taste
- 6-8 cups water
- ½ cup red wine (optional but recommended)
- Beef bouillon paste or cube (optional)
- 1 cup barley or farro (can substitute rice or small pasta, like ditalini or orzo. Or, add a can of drained white cannellini beans)
- Generously season shank with salt and pepper.
- To sear first: If you have the time, pour a little canola oil into the stockpot and heat over high heat. Place shanks in hot pan and brown on all sides. This will add depth to the stock but it is not necessary for a good soup.
- Pour water over shank and add remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat partially covered for 2-3 hours until beef falls off the shank. Add more water if needed.
- Remove and discard bone and bay leaf. Shred beef into pieces removing any fat and return to pot.
- Taste broth and adjust seasonings. I usually need to add more salt, soy sauce or even a little beef bouillon paste (Better than Bouillon) or crumble part of a beef bouillon cube, if desired.
- In a separate pot, prepare barley or farro according to directions. I used a 10 minute farro from Trader Joe's.
- To serve, ladle in soup and spoon in the farro. I store leftover grains separate from leftover soup. If left in the soup they soak up the rest of the liquid, which is why I cook separately.