Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons preferred fat
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 pound venison steak, cut into
- 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp
- and crumbled
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 quarts beef or vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning (blends may include chili powder, garlic, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon)
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese
Directions
- In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt fat.
- Sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add venison steak and lightly sauté until browned.
- Add bacon, sweet potatoes, broth, and seasonings.
- Bring to a boil, and then simmer until sweet potatoes are tender and venison is done.
- Make your roux, and then add it to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat, stir in shredded cheese, and serve.
If you aren’t a fan of any of these ingredients, just switch them for something you like. For example, swap out sweet potatoes for white potatoes, or sausage for bacon.
To make a roux to thicken your soup or stew, use 1 pint of broth and equal parts flour and fat (4 tablespoons fat to 1/4 cup flour to start). Melt your fat in a separate pot. Add flour (or cornstarch) and whisk together until combined. Whisk your broth into the pot over low to medium heat, mixing well to avoid any clumping. Turn off heat, and slowly combine your roux into your soup or stew pot.
More from Hearty Meals for Hard Workers
Cream of Anything Soup
Southern Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
How to Make Chicken Soup from Scratch
Drop Biscuits
Cheesy Mushroom Potato with Chicken or Sausage
Steak and Mushroom
Originally published as “Hearty Meals for Hard Workers” in the November/December 2024 issue of GRIT magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
Jenny Underwood is a homeschooling mom of four. She lives on a fifth-generation farm in the foothills of the Missouri Ozarks with her husband of 24 years. Her favorite things are reading a good book with a good cup of coffee, gardening, mushroom hunting, and fishing.
