Beef Barley Soup
User Reviews
3.9
Beef Barley Soup
Description
This soup begins by coating 1.5 pounds of london broil or chuck roast beef pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then browning them in olive oil. The beef is removed, and vegetables including leeks or shallots, onion, celery with leaves, and carrots are sautéed in the same pot to soften and develop flavor.
Dry sherry is added to deglaze the pot, lifting the browned bits off the bottom. The beef is returned to the pot along with beef stock and bay leaves, then simmered covered for about an hour at low heat. Pearl barley is added later and cooked for an additional 30 to 40 minutes until tender. The soup is finished with Worcestershire sauce and further salt and pepper to taste.
The resulting soup has a lightly thickened, flavorful broth enriched by the gelatin and caramelized meat bits. Pearl barley adds chewiness and body, while the mix of sautéed vegetables gives subtle sweetness and freshness. Optional pearl onions can be included for more texture and mild onion flavor. This soup works well as a comforting lunch or dinner and can be paired with crusty bread to complete a meal.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt fresh cracked
- black pepper fresh cracked
- 1 1/2 lb london broil steak or chuck roast, cut in bite sized pieces (if you use pre-cut stew beef, cut it into smaller pieces
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 leek thinly sliced, or 2 shallots, chopped
- 1/2 onion diced, medium
- 2 celery sliced, leaves and all, or 3 stalks
- 2 carrot peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 1 32- oz beef stock I like Swanson, good quality, box
- 2 bay leaf
- 2/3 cup barley
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup pearl onions optional, frozen
Instructions
- Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Toss it in the flour and make sure to coat all sides of the meat.
- Coat the bottom of a heavy bottomed soup pot with about 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat it on medium high until you see it shimmer. Brown the beef on all sides, working in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Add a little more oil as necessary for the rest of the meat. Remove to a plate.
- In the same pan saute the leek, shallot, onion, celery and carrots for several minutes until the onions start to soften.
- Add the sherry and let it cook for a minute, scraping up the brown bits as you stir. Add the meat back to the pan, along with the beef stock and bay leaves. Bring up to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and let barely simmer for an hour.
- Add the barley and let cook for another 30-40 minutes, until the barley is tender.
- Finish with the Worcestershire sauce, and more salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Note: if you use the pearl onions, add them in at the end and just let them heat through.
- If you refrigerate the soup before serving it will thicken as the barley absorbs the liquid, you can thin it down with extra stock or water as you reheat.
- For crock pot ~ cook as above, but after adding the sherry, meat, and stock to the pan, transfer to a crock pot. Add the barley and cook on low for 6 hours. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper just before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 207 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 207kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 42mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 298mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 619mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 2230IU | 45% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.9
You'll Also Love
