rich beef barley soup
Savory, luxurious and packed with vegetables, this Beef Barley Soup does not disappoint. Simmering marrow filled beef bones in the broth while the chucks of beef tenderize creates a rich, buttery result that you will love. A lot of other recipes use Oxtails instead of the bones, but I think I have unlocked a secret with the texture and flavor the alternative gives. You’re definitely going to want to give this soup a few hours to simmer on the stove, or you can also do this recipe in your crockpot! Just set it and forget it! Serve some crispy bread on the side for dipping.
Recipe by: The Culinary Nest
MAKES
6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3-4 hours
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon good olive oil
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1” chunks
4-5 beef marrow bones (you can find these at most grocers in the meat department of freezer section)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 leeks, chopped, white and light green parts
4-5 carrots cups, sliced into 1/4” rounds or diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, pulled from the stem
3 bay leaves
10 cups canned beef broth
1.5 cups pearled barley, cooked separately according to package instructions
METHOD
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Lightly salt and pepper the cut up chucks of beef roast and sear over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until browned all over, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Next add the beef marrow bones and sear for about 6-8 minutes, remove and set aside.
Add the leeks, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, and a good pinch of each salt and pepper to the pot used for the beef (add more olive oil if needed) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown. Next add the broth, seared beef roast, the marrow bones and the bay leaves to the pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the bone marrow has mostly discarded from the bones into the soup. Discard the bay leaves and the bones. (Crockpot Method: transfer the vegetable mix to a crockpot and add the bay leaves, broth, and beef bones. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Then follow next step below.)
When the soup is ready, add the barley and cook the soup for another 15 or 20 minutes, until the barley is tender. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, the soup might need another teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Serve hot and enjoy.
*When the soup cools, there will most likely be a layer of hardened fat from the marrow. Carefully discard this layer using a spoon before reheating.
