Steak Soup

Steak soup is an exceptionally hearty soup boasting a rich beefy flavor. Grab extra dinner rolls because your whole family will want to sop up every last drop of this luxurious broth!

Sometimes nothing can beat the flavor of a big juicy steak, other times you are craving the comforting slurps of a luxuriously savory soup. Ladies and gentleman, this steak soup recipe gives you the best of both worlds! Get ready to enjoy soup season comfort food at its finest!

Best Cut of Beef for Steak Soup

Cubed chuck roast, or a chuck steak, is the secret to this recipe. Yes, since this is "steak soup" you could use more expensive cuts like ribeye steak, but what is the point? Chuck roast already contains the proper amount of fat and during low and slow simmering session the once tough cut of beef will render into mouthwateringly tender beef, every bit as tender and flavorful and the far more expensive cuts.

The only way I would use more expensive cuts, like from a t-bone, ribeye, or even sirloin is if I needed to use some up in the freezer, or I had leftovers in the fridge. Use the money you just saved on an expensive steak to buy yourself a nice bottle of wine to pair with dinner.

It is also worth noting, some more expensive cuts, like a sirloin steak, don't have enough fat to make as flavorful of a soup as a chuck steak would anyhow.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chuck Roast
• Yellow Onion - Red onion would also work well if you prefer a stronger flavor.
• Baby Bella Mushrooms 
• Garlic - Fresh is best, but garlic powder can be substituted.
• Butter
• All purpose Flour
• Stout Beer
• Beef broth - Beef stock is great to use too.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Thyme - I strongly recommend fresh thyme rather than dried.
• Bay Leaf
• Parsley

How to Make Steak Soup

To impart maximum flavor into this delicious soup you will want to brown the chunks of beef on all sides. Crank the heat of your large pot or Dutch Oven to medium-high heat and place meat in it without stirring for a few minutes to give it time to brown properly. Once one side is browned, stir the beef and repeat with the remaining sides.

Remove the steak from the pot and add onion and mushrooms. Cook until these are tender, stirring occasionally. Once everything is tender, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then remove everything from the pot and set it aside with the browned steak.

Tip: You can add a splash of olive oil to assist with the browning and sauteing process if your meat isn't rendering enough fat.

Now you can reduce your heat to low and add the butter and flour to make the roux. Cook the roux, while stirring, for four minutes, or until it begins to turn a nutty brown color.

The broth of steak soup is fortified by the fat rendering out of the chuck roast, while a simple roux is used for thickening. A roux is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked together until the raw flour taste is cooked out. A roux is a phenomenal thickening agent for soups. However, ensure you continually stir the roux to prevent the flour from burning or your soup will taste like an ashtray.... mmm!

You are now ready to add everything to the pot. Return the steak, onions, mushrooms, and garlic back into the pot along with all of the remaining ingredients (minus the parsley. Let simmer for 3 hours, or until the steak is delectably tender. Sprinkle in parsley when you are ready to serve.

Tip: Be sure to scrape loose any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. These add a lot of flavor when incorporated into the broth.

Do I have to add beer?

Stout beer provides a nice deep background flavor in this soup. However, if you are opposed to using alcohol you can omit it entirely. On the flip side, you can get creative and use different forms of alcohol as well if you wish. Instead of using beer, red wine, brandy, or bourbon whiskey would all be great substitutions. Instead of 1 cup of beer, I would use ¼ cup of the liquors or ½ cup of the wine.

How to Customize this recipe

Beyond steak and beer, there are other major flavoring components that can be customized in this recipe. Mushrooms provide a nice hearty addition to the soup, however, they can be removed if you hate mushrooms. The same can be said with onions, they provide a great background flavor, but after the long cooking session, they provide less substantial texture than the mushrooms. You can even add extra veggies like bell peppers or canned tomatoes for a little sweetness.

Other additions you could add to the soup include egg noodles, a bit of tomato paste for umami flavor, or even a tablespoon of steak sauce, like A1 sauce. Soups are great because of the endless customization they provide!

How to Store Leftovers

Like many soups, steak soup tastes better when stored in the refrigerator overnight. The reason for this is because the flavors are given more time to meld together. For the best flavor, you will want to store the soup in an airtight container to prevent other odors from the refrigerator from penetrating the soup and altering the flavor.

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