Pot-au-Feu (Well maybe not)

The traditional Pot-au-Feu is a rustic beef stew with rather large chunks of beef instead of the smaller ones I normally would use. It is also flavored with a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.

There are fewer vegetable varieties in this than I would normally use and it is much mellower in flavor. I tend to use garlic, dried hot peppers, and hot sauces to give my standard vegetable soup quite a zing.

Since I had a large group of people and children I thought it a good day to try a variation that would be hearty and meaty in contrast to the mellow noodle soup. But, I didn't want the hearty part to be spice, rather depth of the beefy essence.

To make the bouquet I combined the crumbled spices and placed them in a mesh tea infuser. This enabled me to flavor the soup and remove the pieces of the herbs before serving. 

1 bouquet garni
3 1/2 lb. lean trimmed chuck roast in large chunks (about 3-4 bites to a chunk)
1 soup bone with marrow
6 C. beef broth
1 onion diced
5-6 carrots peeled and chunked
5-6 medium potatoes peeled and chunked
3 ribs celery washed and chunk ed
2 C. green beans washed and snapped
1 1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. black pepper

Using a large heavy bottomed kettle or dutch oven combine the broth, soup bone, beef chunks, onion, and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 1/2-3 hours covered.

Add the vegetables and seasoning and simmer another 30-40 minutes. 

Remove and discard the soup bone and bouquet garni. Taste again and correct the seasonings. Ladle into warmed bowls and enjoy with buttered hot rolls.