Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Haitian-Style Pumpkin and Beef Soup (Soup Joumou)
Our version of Haiti's pumpkin and beef soup, joumou, is rich yet light, with a flavorful pumpkin-based broth and tender pieces of beef, butternut squash and potato. Two Scotch bonnet peppers give this soup a spicy backdrop; we studded ours with cloves, a tip we took from Haiti-born cook Sophia Sanon who now resides in Montreal. If you can't find Scotch bonnets, habaneros work well, too. You should end up with about 2 pounds of meat after trimming a 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast; trim as much visible fat as possible. The beef for the soup can be cooked up to 24 hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate for up to three days.
8
Servings
Tip
Don't use pre-cubed meat sold as “beef for stew;” there's no way to know the cut of meat. And be sure to use canned pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
3½ hours
Ingredients
-
8
whole cloves
-
2
Scotch bonnet or habanero chilies
Directions
-
01Press 4 cloves into each of the chilies, then set aside. Use paper towels to pat the meat dry, then season with salt and pepper.In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until just smoking. Add half of the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining beef, 2 cups of the broth, the bay leaves and 1 clove-studded chili. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is very tender, about 2 hours.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINTReviews
November 30, 2022
Comfort food
Pros: Delicious and comforting. I felt like I was eating something that was made with love by someone's grandmother. Added some rice at serving to give it a little more body. Naturally low sodium, I just added a teaspoon of salt and half of pepper, and my husband didn't ask for more at the table. Cons: Time consuming, but worth it. I may try to cut some corners next time and hope it doesn't affect the end flavor too much. I just can't spend 4 hours making soup.
While shopping at H‑E‑B in San Antonio I found a bag of scotch bonnet peppers. I have been looking for them for several year to make a Trinidad stir-fry. I found this recipe when looking for what else I could make with my peppers. This soup is wonderful and well worth the effort. The meat is so delicious, it could be served on a pile of buttered noodles. I also made the slaw to accompany the soup. Thank you.
Become A Subscriber To Rate and Review All Our Recipes.
Please Log in or join today for $1.
Thank you for your comment! Your comment is currently under moderation and will appear shortly.