Pumpkin beef soup not to be confused with Haitian Joumou , is a hearty soup made with beef bones and Kabocha squash cooked with other veggies, fresh herbs, and seasonings. Pumpkin beef soup, like most Jamaican soups are made in three stages. When preparing this Pumpkin beef soup recipe, the first step is to cook the meat and pumpkin together until the pumpkin melts away and the beef is tender.
Step 1
Because beef has a strong flavor. I almost always add a turnip along with generous amounts of onion, garlic, and thyme. Beef can also be tough, so if you own a slow-cooker, this is an ideal recipe for that. Just braise the meat with the aromatics before you add it to the slow-cooker.
Step 2
When making soup, I prefer little bite-sized pieces of food instead of the larger chunks that Caribbean soups traditionally contain. Cutting the food into small pieces also reduces the cooking time.
Step 3
In this final step let your tastebuds guide you. Add any salt, pepper, or herbs you desire.
Equipment
- 1 lg pot
Ingredients
Step 1
- 1.5 lb beef shanks more bone thann meat
- ½ lb pumpkin , cubed
- ¼ lb turnip , diced
- 1 lg onion , diced
- 6 cloves garlic , crushed
- 3 sprigs thyme 1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaves
Step 2
- ½ lb Caribbean yam , lg cubes
- ¼ lb chayote 1 med (cho- cho)
- ¼ lb carrot ,2 med
- ½ lb white potato , lg cubes
- 1 pk pumpkin soup flavor packet
Step 3
- ½ lb dumplings flour or cornmeal
- 2 stalks scallion or onion
- 2 sprigs thyme
- hot pepper
Instructions
Step 1
- Combine the ingredients in step one in a large pot and heat everything over a medium-high fire for 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it go for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, fill the pot with hot water, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 90 minutes. While the meat cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients.
Step 2
- Wash, peel, and cut the remaining vegetables. Check the meat for tenderness after 90 minutes. If it separates from the bone, easily move to step two. If the meat is still tough, stir the pot thoroughly, cover it, and let it go for another 30 minutes. Stir the pot thoroughly, then add in the soup flavoring packet, the remaining vegetables and provisions. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about five minutes. While the soup simmers; heat some water in a separate pot. Once the watcher is hot, stir it into the soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. While the soup cooks, knead the dumpling.
Step 3
- For the final step, stir the soup again and taste for flavor. Add the dumplings to the soup. Stir the pot and taste it to see if any salt or other seasoning is needed. Add the remaining time and scallion. Stir in any additional water, cover, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the pot and let the soup rest for 10 or so minutes before serving. Stir the soup thoroughly from the bottom of the pot before you serve it.