Sheldon ) wrote:

>> I can agree with most of that, though I would use bone-in chuck rather
>> than boneless,
>
> Why? I cut all the beef into bite sized bits before browning because it's
> a soup, not a pot roast... the bone would just make a lot of extra work,
> and would likely be wasted. I realize I could have and then even added
> the bone to the pot adn tossed it later I've done that, many times.... but
> with sawn beef bones therre is alwasy the danger for fercockting the dish
> with bone slivers, so I refrain from using thsse bones in soups This was
> much easier, and when I got to the store the boneless chuck looked really
> nice and at $2.39/lb so did the price. A big old 7 bone roast was
> fattier, contained a lot of bone to trim out, and cost 90¢/lb more.

The bone adds a lot of flavor and a good amount of "heft" to the broth. But
given the choices you listed with the bone-in roast so much more expensive,
I probably would have done the same thing. Around here, one of the local
supermarkets carries big meaty beef shanks (which are labeled "para caldo")
at a reasonable price, and which make wonderful soups.


>> I'd use safflower or grapeseed oil instead of olive oil,
>
> Whatever... for the couple Tbls to brown fatty meat to make eight quarts
> of soup no one would know what oil was used... probably could have used 2
> Tbls of whale blubber and know one could tell. Safflower is cheap oil and
> grapeseed oil is way overated, for those with more dollars than brain
> cells.

It's not the taste of the oil which concerns me, it's the fact that you can
heat either of those two oils to a much higher temperature without smoking,
and that higher heat can give a better sear to the meat. Peanut oil would
work well too, but I don't happen to have it in the house. Your mention of
whale blubber reminds me that beef suet would also work well, and contribute
some more beef flavor, but between the mushrooms and the MSG you probably
had enough meaty flavor already.


> So when you make soup why don't you give a detailed discourse on how you
> made yours and include photographs, because much of the attraction to food
> is done with the eyes.

The only camera I have is the one in my cell phone. Lin has a digital
camera, but I make no claims to any aptitude for using it. The next time
I'll have an opportunity to make soup will be Monday night. Maybe I'll make
minestrone and see if Lin can take pictures.

Bob