Beef and Barley Soup

Fall time = soup time! I love soups. I don't make a bazillion kinds, I love to eat a bazillion kinds, but when it comes time to make soup, my heart falls on one of a few. Beef and Barley Soup is definitely at the top! When I was a kid, I loved Campbell's Vegetable Beef soup (taking care to remove all the peas, of course!). My parents would make a beef vegetable soup, but I would have a hard time with the peas and rutabagas. They were and still are, not my jam.

What is my jam, you ask? The tender little chunks of beef. The carrots, onions, and celery. The broth. The barley. All wrapped up in a nice little (or big) bowl. I love using a variety of seasonings in many of my recipes. Testing out how seasonings act together is part of what makes cooking so fun and enjoyable! The seasonings I chose for this Beef and Barley Soup bring a unami-y, herbalicious vibe, you have to try! Have I mentioned that I love this soup? Let me know you love it too, in the comments below!

Beef and Barley Soup

Beef and Barley Soup, warm and comforting. One of my favorite soups and one I look forward to making as soon as the cooler weather hits. Honestly, I barely make it to fall before I start hankering for this delicious soup. Served with crusty bread?? Oh man, my mouth is watering already!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs beef chuck, diced small The roasts we get usually run 1.5 - 2.25 lbs - use what works best for you
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon beef bouillon  
• 2 tablespoon red wine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1.5 tablespoon Bouquet Garni see notes
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon umami seasoning see notes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper about 5 twists
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 3 ribs celery, sliced in half lengthwise, then diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, diced we prefer baby bellas, can use white too!
• 10 cups beef broth
• ¾ cup medium barley DO NOT USE INSTANT, see notes

Instructions

 

• Place meat, beef bouillon, red wine, Worcestershire, all seasonings (except bay leaves) in a medium bowl, toss well. Sprinkle flour over it and stir to coat. Marinate for 15-30 mins
  2 lbs beef chuck, diced small, 2 teaspoon beef bouillon  , 2 tablespoon red wine, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1.5 tablespoon Bouquet Garni, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon umami seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ cup all purpose flour
• Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the marinated meat. Let sit and cook for 3-4 mins as it browns, stir and scrape up any brown bits, let sit and brown for another 3-4 mins.
  1 tablespoon olive oil
• Add all the veggies and bay leaves, stir well to combine.
  3 ribs celery, sliced in half lengthwise, then diced, 3 medium carrots, diced, 1 medium onion, diced, 8 oz mushrooms, diced, 2 bay leaves
• Add the beef broth, lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low until meat and veggies are tender. This will take roughly 2-2.5 hours.
  10 cups beef broth
• Once the veggies are tender, turn up heat and bring back to a boil and add the barley. Lower the heat again to simmer while covered until barley is done, about 30 mins. Salt and pepper to taste
  ¾ cup medium barley

Notes

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

Bouquet Garni -  My favorite for this soup is from Penzey's, they have amazing spices and perfect herby mixes, I use them pretty much every single day 🙂  If you don't have this spice, any herby mix will be great.

Umami - this is a seasoning that is quickly becoming a staple for me. I find it at most grocery stores and Trader Joe's. You can omit it if you can't find it, but believe me, it's worth it! 

Medium Barley - It's a must for this! Instant barley has a texture more like oatmeal, so we don't prefer it for this soup. I like how it all cooks in one pot and then it ever so lightly makes the soup a teeny tiny thicker. 

Alternately, you can cook the medium barley separately while the soup is cooking, just follow the directions on the box and then add the cooked barley to the soup once the meat and veggies are tender. 

Keyword barley, beef, beef and barley, beef chuck, carrots, celery, comfort food, garlic, herbs, herby, homemade soup, mushrooms, onions, red wine, soup, unami, worcestershire