Beef & Barley Soup is another total classic comfort food recipe. Filling, and warming, it also happens to be a great choice for a healthy winter soup. Since I’m always looking to make great meal prep worthy recipes this soup is great for lunches. It freezes well too! Bonus!
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I honestly used to just avoid things like stew or beef & barley soup because I grew up eating tough and bland beef cubes. It wasn’t until later in life that I started re-introducing recipes like this one. After learning that stewing beef could be cooked to gorgeous tenderness, I was hooked.
Get the Best Beef you Can
We don’t eat a huge amount of red meat in our house. Partly because of the cost, and partly because of the carbon footprint. If we could be producing our own that would be great. Otherwise, we just buy small amounts from local producers. The cost is higher, but the quality is far better than mass produced meat so we just buy less. When we do eat red meat, I want to make sure that it’s tender and delicious. But we also want to get as many meals out of it as we can. That’s where soups like this Beef & Barley Soup are so great. Spreading out the meat through a filling meal, means more meals for less meat.
Not Just Beef
Obviously, beef & barley soup isn’t just beef! It’s full of carrots, onions, and celery to get all the veggie goodness. And of course the barley! Barley is such a great addition to soup. It’s full of both soluble and insoluble fiber so it’s great for digestion. (And you guys know how much I love “good for digestion” foods!) It also helps to fill you up, and help you feel full longer; perfect for a long day at work. If you’re in the Ottawa area, Ottawa Valley Grain Products in Carp is a fantastic source for local Pot Barley. They also have other great products and you should become a fan of them!
Good Quality Stock
Stock really does make or break a soups flavour. For beef & barley soup I really recommend a high quality Beef Stock. If all you have is chicken stock, that will be fine, but try your best to use a really flavourful one. It’s also important to remember that when you make a soup including a grain, you need quite a lot of stock. This recipe calls for 10 cups, and you do really need it. I’d suggest even having an extra cup or two on hand just in case. Barley is great, but it does absorb liquid like crazy, and it takes about 35-40 minutes of simmering to completely cook.
Beef & Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Beef Stew Cubes
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 tsp Each Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil
- 3 Large Carrots Finely diced
- 3 Stalks of Celery Finely diced
- 1 Large Onion Finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic Finely diced
- 1 tbsp Red Miso Paste you can use worchestershire instead if you can't find miso.
- 1 tbsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1/2 cup Red Wine
- 10 cups Beef Stock
- 2 cups Pot Barley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to combine, until the beef is thoroughly coated.
- Heat ~1tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Begin searing the beef cubes. Do this in a few rounds so that you don't overcrowd the pan. After each side of the cubes has been seared, transfer them to a bowl.
- Add another drizzle of oil to the pan, and add in the carrots, onions, and celery. Stir for 3-5 minutes to soften slightly, and begin to colour. Add the garlic, basil, rosemary, and miso paste. Stir to combine and coat everything in miso and herbs.
- Deglaze the pot with the red wine, and stir up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef back to the pot. Then, add the beef stock.
- Bring everything up to a gentle simmer, and add the barley.
- Simmer gently for about 35-40 minutes. Stir quite continuously throughout the process, to make sure the barley doesn't stick to the bottom. Once the barley is soft, and the beef is tender remove from heat. Season to your tastes. Serve right away, or allow to cool fully and freeze. Freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
LizaLeigh
