Saskatchewan City Steak Soup

6 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

5 cups beef stock

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup vegetable juice (such as V8®)

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

½ cup diced celery

½ cup peeled, diced carrots

½ cup chopped onion

1 head cabbage, shredded

1 (14.5 ounce) can green beans, drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (such as Ac cent®)

1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons browning sauce (such as Kitchen Bouquet®)

salt, to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the beef stock into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the bouillon cubes, vegetable juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add celery, carrots, onion, shredded cabbage, green beans, and tomatoes. Allow soup to return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook and stir ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. When the vegetables in the soup are tender, stir in the ground beef and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in monosodium glutamate, pepper, browning sauce, and salt to serve.