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Comforting Beef Bone Soup
Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Comforting Beef Bone Soup.

Over the years I’ve shared about 30 + Soup Recipes and to be honest and frank, I’ve barely touched the surface when it comes to Caribbean and Caribbean inspired soup recipes. Such is our love for soups throughout the Caribbean. While this one is not your typical thick and ‘stew’ like variety you’d normally enjoy on the Islands, it is packed with deep Caribbean flavors.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs beef neck bones
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 large head garlic
1 large onion (diced)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon concentrate tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
8 sprigs thyme
2 thick slices ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
10-14 cups hot water
3 medium carrots (cut large)
5 medium potatoes (cut in half)
1 1/2 lbs pumpkin (large pieces)
1 small cabbage (cut in large pieces)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Notes. Be sure to get your butcher to cut the bones for you, as you will not be successful with your clever or large chef’s knife. Any beef bones will work, in my case the neck bones I used had a fair bit of meat on it. If you’re doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Wash the pieces of neck bones to remove any grit it may have from being cut on the band saw. Pat dry, then place in your roasting pan along with the garlic (skin on – I cut each head in half). Drizzle on the olive oil to coat everything.

Place a sheet of foil over the pan lightly and roast for one hour in the oven.

Remove the fat from the bottom of the roasting pan and place in your large soup pot on a medium/low flame. Add the onion, celery, 1/2 the black pepper, garlic we roasted (once cool, they will fall off the skin) and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the roasted beef bones and stir well to coat. Then add the ginger, thyme (I tied them with string so later on they will be easier to remove) and float in the Scotch Bonnet pepper – DO NOT Break! Explained in the video.

Top with the water, turn up the heat to medium/high and bring to boil. Reduce to a gentle rolling boil. At any time you may watch the video below should you have any relating questions.

As it comes to a boil, add the carrots. Cook for 1 hours and 40 minutes. Then remove the ginger pieces, the thyme and at this point you will decide if you want to remove the Scotch Bonnet or break it to release the beast (heat). They’ve all done their respective jobs.

Add the pumpkin pieces along with the cabbage.

Bring the soup back up to a boil and cook for another 30 minutes or until the potato is tender. Please try to NOT over-stir as we don’t want to crush the carrot, pumpkin nor potato. The goal is to have a tasty broth with chunky pieces of vegetables.

At this point there may be pieces of bones where the meat fell off, you may remove those bones and discard. Taste and adjust the salt to you liking. The final step is to add the remaining black pepper and parsley. Turn off the stove.

TIP! You may add pieces of boneless pieces of beef (about 1 to 2 inches thick) to the soup at the start if you wanted (do not roast). And should you want an even more pronounced Caribbean flavor, add a tablespoon of homemade Caribbean Green Seasoning to the pot when you add the potatoes.

Enjoy a massive bowl of comfort!

Recipe Card

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 2 hrs Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6
Diet:

Description

This hearty Caribbean beef bone soup combines roasted beef neck bones with a variety of root vegetables and traditional spices for a soul-warming dish that’s perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

  2. Wash the beef neck bones to remove any debris. Pat dry and place in a roasting pan along with the halved garlic heads. Drizzle with olive oil to coat.

  3. Cover the pan lightly with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

  4. In a large soup pot, add the fat from the roasting pan and heat over medium-low flame. Add diced onion, chopped celery, half the black pepper, and the roasted garlic (skins removed). Cook for 3 minutes.

  5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the roasted beef bones to the pot, stirring to coat. Add ginger slices, tied thyme sprigs, and the whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper (do not break).Add the roasted beef bones to the pot, stirring to coat. Add ginger slices, tied thyme sprigs, and the whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper (do not break).
  7. Pour in 10–14 cups of hot water, ensuring all ingredients are submerged. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

  8. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle rolling boil. Add the carrots and cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

  9. Remove ginger slices, thyme sprigs, and Scotch Bonnet Pepper (or leave for added heat). Add potatoes, pumpkin, and cabbage to the pot.

  10. Bring the soup back to a boil and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Avoid over-stirring to maintain vegetable integrity.

  11. Remove any bones that have separated from the meat. Adjust salt to taste. Stir in remaining black pepper and chopped parsley.

  12. Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each serving has a mix of meat and vegetables. Enjoy hot.

Note

Be sure to get your butcher to cut the bones for you, as you will not be successful with your clever or large chef’s knife. Any beef bones will work, in my case the neck bones I used had a fair bit of meat on it. If you’re doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato And Pumpkin Soup

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (11)

That bone chilling cold is back and with a vengeance. Over the Christmas holidays it was relatively mild by Canadian standards, but this morning the mercury dropped to -28 C (-18.4 F). Like a true son of the Caribbean soil, I’m battling back with a hearty beef with sweet potato and pumpkin soup to warm up the mind, soul and body! We’ll start off by roasting the pieces of beef (with bones) in the oven, something which is not traditional in Caribbean soup making, but that roasted flavor will elevate this soup to a HIGHER level! Then we go in with pieces of pumpkin and sweet potato, followed by fresh herbs and other flavor ingredients.
You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs beef bones
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 stalks celery
2 large sweet potatoes
1 medium butternut squash
2-3 cups diced pumpkin
water * or Beef stock
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
4 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 stock cube
2 scallions
3-4 allspice berries

optional.. flour dumplings, potato and ground provisions.

It’s important that you use pieces of beef with bones for maximum flavor and it’s normally the cheapest cut of meat. Wash and pat the beef dry, then place in a baking dish with the cubed celery and carrots. Toss with 2 tablespoon olive oil and roast on the middle rack of your oven for 45 mins @ 400F

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (1)

As the beef roast in the oven, peel and cube the pumpkin, squash and sweet potato. You’ll notice that I used traditional Caribbean sweet potato (purple/red colour) and what is called ‘yams (sort of orange colour) in North American grocery stores. We’ll cook this for a long time, so feel free to cut them in large pieces.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (2)

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Remove the roasted beef from the oven and get ready to put everything together so we can started on our soup. If you prep the vegetables in advance, cover them with water so they don’t go discolored on you.

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In a large soup pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and go in with the diced onion, garlic, black pepper, chopped scallion and thyme on a low heat and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

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Turn up the heat, add the roasted beef and vegetables.. be sure to get all the stuff at the bottom of the roasting pan and give the pot a good stir. Now go in with all the other ingredients, cover with water or beef stock and bring to a boil.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (7)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (8)

You will notice a few things. 1. If using beef stock, keep in mind that it will have a lot of sodium so be mindful when adding more salt. 2. I added the scotch bonnet ‘whole’ to get the flavor and not the raw heat. if you break it – be prepared for that Caribbean sunshine. and 3. If adding flour dumplings, do so the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Reduce to a gentle boil and allow to cook for about an hour and 3/4 or until the beef is tender. The vegetables will fall apart for the most part, but that will give you a nice thick soup. If you want your vegetables with texture, you can add them the last 35 minutes of cooking. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly and remember to remove that scotch bonnet pepper at the end of cooking.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (9)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (10)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (12)

Serve HOT (forget the warm thing).. this is meant to warm you up on those cold winter days or when you just want a taste of home! If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Flour dumplings will NOT be an option.

Recipe Card

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 2 hrs Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6
Diet:

Description

This rich, Caribbean-style soup blends tender beef with the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes and pumpkin, creating a comforting, slow-simmered broth perfect for winter meals or anytime you crave a taste of home.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204 °C).

  2. Pat the beef bones dry and place in a baking dish with chopped carrots and celery. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, peel and cube sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and butternut squash. Keep covered in water to prevent discoloration.

  4. In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.

  5. Increase heat to medium-high. Add roasted beef and vegetables to the pot, including all pan drippings. Stir well to coat.

  6. Add pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, stock cube, allspice, parsley, and enough water or beef stock to cover. Add whole scotch bonnet pepper.

  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover loosely and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until beef is tender and vegetables break down. Skim any foam.

  8. Taste and adjust salt. Remove scotch bonnet before serving. Add flour dumplings or other provisions in the last 10 minutes, if using. Serve hot.

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Meat & Poultry

A Sizzling Caribbean Beef Soup.

trini beef soup (15)

I could never get used to this winter thing, no matter how long I’ve been calling this place home. The short days, constant overcast conditions (I’ve seen the sun 3 times so far this month and it’s already the 19th) and the bitter cold that seems to have arrived earlier than I expected. As I post this recipe, it’s about -12 C and it will only get colder as we move in January and February. On such cold days the order of the day is a good Caribbean soup or… a sunny vacation and that eh happening.. Like the other soup recipes I’ve shared in the past, this one will have the consistency and texture of a North American stew, but you’ll find that it will be much more sizzling and explosive!

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs beef bones (get ones with a bit of meat)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion diced
3 cloves of garlic sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large carrot diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 scallion diced
1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
dash ground allspice
2 cups beef broth
4 cups water
3 medium eddoes
3 medium potatoes
3 medium sweet potato
4 green bananas (fig)
1lb cassava (see note below)
1 teaspoon salt
1 pack Grace cock soup
1 1/2 cup flour (for dumpling)
1/4 cup water for dumplings

Rinse off the beef bones, since the saw they used to cut the bones may leave back a bit of grit. Dry with some paper towels and get ready to brown. In a large pot heat the oil over medium/high heat, then add the beef bones. If you can’t source beef bones, feel free to use any cheap cut of boneless beef instead. Allow that to brown for about 5 minutes, then add the onion and garlic. Let it cook another 3 minutes or so, then add the thyme, black pepper, ground allspice, salt, scallion and carrot pieces. Top with the beef broth and 4 cups of water and add the scotch bonnet pepper (whole).  Bring that up to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. This will cook for about 1 hour to get the pieces of meat on the bones, tender.

trini beef soup

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While this cooks, I prepare the rest of the ingredients. Peel the potato, sweet potato, eddoes, green bananas and cassava if you’re using fresh. I opted to use frozen cassava, which is just as good as the fresh ones and easily available in many grocery stores. I usually cut these into halves, so they cook the same time. Give them a rinse under cool water and then place them in a bowl where they can all fit. Top that with water so it doesn’t go discolored.

trini beef soup (5)

trini beef soup (6)

After 1 hour, remove the bones from the pot and  set aside. Now add the eddoes, green banana, cassava (if you’re using frozen cassava as I did, do check the cooking time on the package and adjust accordingly), potato and  sweet potato. The next step is to add the Grace Cock Soup mix into the pot and bring this up to a gentle boil (covered). Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes.

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trini beef soup (8)

trini beef soup (9)

The bones we removed should be cool now. Remove any meat you can off the bones and return that to the pot. The bones you can discard as they will be very tough and have no real use. It’s then time to prepare the dough for the dumplings.

In a medium size bowl, put the flour and a dash of sugar (optional) and start with 1/4 cup water. I’m not the best at kneading flour, so I usually start off using a fork. I work the four until it forms a crude ball, then I go in with my hands. Add water accordingly as you knead the dough. You need a somewhat firm dough ball. Allow that to rest for about 5 minutes.

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Using the tip of a knife, pierce a piece of the eddoes (any of the ground provision) and if there’s no resistance, it means it’s cooked. Should take about 15-20 minutes from the time you added them. Pinch off small pieces of dough and using the palms of both hands work that to form the shape of a cigarette (see pics below). Add them to the pot as you go along. If you find that the dough is sticking to your hand, use some flour on your hands.

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After you’ve added all the dumplings, give it a good stir to ensure all the dumplings are covered by liquid. Allow this to cook for about 5 minutes, then you’re done. If you have “salt butter” GoldenRay butter, feel free to add a small piece. Now you can fish the whole pepper out of the pot, or if you want that true Caribbean flavour, burst it open to release the Sizzle!

Note: When peeling the ground provisions (eddoes, cassava and green banana) rub some oil over your hands or use gloves, as you may find that your hands may itch a bit after.

If you find that you can’t get the Grace cock soup, a good substitute is any sort of quick-cook chicken noodle soup (like Liptons) or check for a Maggi cube or soup mix. For more soup recipes, check the links mentioned below. And before you go I’d really appreciate it if you could leave me a comment below – even if it’s just to say hello. And don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook, by clicking on the image on the upper right side of the page. That’s also where you’ll find the link to all the cooking videos.