Description
Hearty beef barley soup brings warmth and comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen, packed with tender meat, nutritious vegetables, and rich broth. Rich flavors meld together, creating a satisfying meal that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds stew meat
Vegetables:
- 3 stalks celery
- 2 onions
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 large potato
- 3–4 large carrots
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons beef base
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season beef chunks generously with salt and pepper for robust flavor development.
- Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering, creating an ideal searing environment.
- Brown meat in batches to ensure proper caramelization, cooking each portion 1-2 minutes per side without overcrowding the pot to prevent steaming.
- Return all browned meat to the stockpot and pour in water and beef base, stirring thoroughly to integrate flavors and create a rich liquid foundation.
- Incorporate chopped celery, onions, and garlic into the liquid mixture, bringing contents to a rolling boil before reducing heat to medium-low.
- Simmer covered for approximately 2 hours, allowing meat to become fork-tender and develop deep, complex flavors.
- Once meat is sufficiently tender, introduce shredded potatoes and carrots to the pot, raising temperature to boil briefly before reducing heat.
- Continue simmering for 30-45 minutes until vegetables reach desired softness and contribute their natural sweetness to the soup.
- Add rinsed barley to the pot, bringing soup to a final boil before reducing heat for a gentle 30-minute simmer.
- Cook until barley becomes plump and tender, and soup reaches a thick, hearty consistency perfect for serving.
Notes
- Choose well-marbled beef chuck roast for maximum flavor and tenderness during long cooking.
- Browning meat in small batches creates a deep caramelized crust, developing rich flavor foundations for the soup.
- Pat meat dry before seasoning to ensure proper browning and prevent steaming instead of searing.
- Low and slow simmering helps break down tough meat fibers, creating meltingly soft protein pieces.
- For gluten-free version, replace barley with quinoa or rice, maintaining similar hearty texture.
- Fresh thyme or rosemary can elevate the soup’s complexity with aromatic herb notes.
- Allow soup to rest 15-20 minutes after cooking to let flavors meld and thicken naturally.
- Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for convenient meal prep up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg