BEEF SHANK BARLEY SOUP

[Welland Tribune November 23, 1943]

By Betsy Newman

This ration program takes me back to my childhood and some of my favorite dishes. I am thinking particularly of beef shank stew or soup with vegetables. A beef shank is low in coupons so we’re reviving this good dish at my house.

Today’s Menu

Breakfast
Tomato or Orange Juice
Cereal with Milk
Soft Boiled Eggs Toast
Coffee Milk

Luncheon
Macaroni and Cheese
Whole Wheat Bread
Stewed Pears Cookies
Tea Milk

Dinner
Beef Shank Barley Soup or Beef Shank Stew
Hashed Brown Potatoes
Mixed Vegetable Salad
Dutch Apple Pie   Coffee

Beef Shank Barley Soup
2 lbs. Of beef shank
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1/3 cup of diced celery
1/3 cup of diced or sliced carrots
1/3 cup of chopped onions
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
1 quart of soup stock  (or beef bouillon)
3 tablespoons of barley
1/2 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce

Add water and seasonings to beef shank and simmer about 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Pick meat from bones and return meat to stock. Add vegetables, soup stock and barley and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, add worcestershire sauce and serve. Serves 5. Another method of making this soup is to completely cover meat with water and simmer the requisite amount of time until the meat is tender. If this is done, there will be enough soup without adding stock. Different vegetables may be used such as celery, turnips, etc., as many as your ingenuity can suggest and in various combinations.

Beef Shank Stew
2 lbs. Of beef shank cut in 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons of lard or other fat
2 teaspoons of salt
1 cup of cooked tomatoes
1 cup of water
1 onion
1/2 cup of diced celery

Brown meat in lard or fat, season, add tomatoes, water, sliced onion and celery. Cover and cook slowly, or bake in moderate over (350 degrees F.) about 2 hours. Serves 4 or 5.

Plain unflavored gelatin helps to stretch fruits and fruit juices and other hard-to-get foods. None of the flavor of such foods is lost, as the gelatin has no flavor of its own.