Cheesy Italian Sausage and Ground Beef Stew

Heat the lard or butter in a large pot over high heat. Add the ground beef and ground hot Italian sausage. Season with salt. Cook, stirring to break the meat into small chunks, until deeply browned and slightly crispy to build that bold street-food flavor profile.

Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the finely diced root vegetable mix to the pot with the browned meat, stirring to coat in the rendered fat for 3 minutes. Pour in the water, bringing it to a rapid boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes until the broth is rich, flavorful, and slightly reduced, and the vegetables are tender.

Ladle the piping hot soup into deep bowls, making sure to distribute the meats evenly. Generously top each bowl with the shredded cheese, letting it melt into a gooey blanket before serving.