In the last two weeks, five friends have come down with either a pesty cold or nasty flu bug. When I mention that I have some delicious, homemade Beef Barley Soup on hand, they brighten up. Bless their hearts, they never say no when I offer to bring it over.
The recipe makes a boatload of soup, and it takes time to prepare. But here’s the convenient part. It freezes beautifully for up to three months once divided up and frozen in smaller batches (without the parsley). Cool it before transferring to freezer safe zipper-style bags or containers. Defrost it overnight in the fridge and add the parsley.
Beef Barley Soup
Yield: About 3 quarts
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided use
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
1 cup pearled barley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
1 turnip, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Season the beef on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the butter and half the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the celery, garlic, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the drippings in the pot. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and 2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the beef and any accumulated juices and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is almost tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours (it will not be fork-tender yet). Skim off any foam that rises to the top.
5. Stir in the barley, carrots, turnip, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and simmer until the barley is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the vinegar and taste for salt. Remove the bay leaves; sprinkle with parsley.
Source: thepioneerwoman.com