Vegetable Beef Soup

This recipe has replaced my "stew" recipe.  While quite similar of a recipe, the tomatoes and seasonings in this recipe put that old recipe to shame.  I make two pots of this soup at the same time and can 6 quarts at a time.  (each batch makes 3 quarts or 6 pints)

• 1 1/3 pounds stew beef, cut into small cubes ( I used an inexpensive round steak)
• 4 cups beef broth (I used 4c water and 5 tsp better than bouillon beef soup base from Costco)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes (two pints home canned tomatoes) (I used 3 ½ c fresh puréed tomatoes from the garden)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning mix from Winco

 
 
Prepare 6 - 7 pint jars, lids, and rings (or 3 quarts). 

 
Cooking: 
In a stainless steel or enameled dutch oven brown meat quickly using a 
tiny bit of olive oil just so the meat won’t stick to the bottom of the 
pot. Add to the pot the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium high
for 10 minutes only just to combine the broth and spices! Turn off the 
heat. Ladle. 
 
Filling the jars: 
On a dishtowel place your hot jars in a semi circle leaving room for your pot that has your 
recipe.  Using your slotted spoon ladle the meat and veggies into the 
jar filling a little over half way then add the soup liquid into the 
jars leaving 1” headspace.  Remove air bubbles and refill to the proper 
headspace if necessary. 

Taking a clean papertowel, wipe the rims of the jars with white vinegar removing any food 
particles that would interfere with a good seal. Add lids and rings. 
 
Processing: 
Make sure your rack is on the bottom of the canner and place the jars in the pressure canner. 
 Lock the lid and turn up the heat bring the canner to a boil. Vent 
steam for 10 minutes, then close the vent by adding the weighted gauge . 

Process pints for 75 minutes at 14 lbs of pressure* and quarts at 90 
minutes.  
 
When complete turn off the heat and let pressure return to zero naturally. 

Wait two minutes longer and open vent. Remove
 canner lid. Wait 10 minutes then remove jars and place on dishtowel in a
 place that they will sit overnight to cool. Do not touch or move them 
till the next morning.
 

*Original recipe is 10 lbs pressure, 2 lb adjustment to altitude and 2 lb adjustment for my pressure cooker reading off.