Hearty Beef and Barley Soup

This Hearty Beef and Barley Soup is the perfect meal for the cooler, and soon-to-be colder months. A full meal in a bowl, with hearty chunks of tender beef, plenty of veggies, and wholesome pearled barley. It is rich and flavorful and just what we all want on a chilly evening. My favorite kind of food for my favorite time of year. Serve it with some warm, crusty bread and good, salted butter, a glass of red wine or a rich, dark beer and you've got yourself the perfect, coziest dinner.

Like I've written many times before, fall is my favorite season. I love the chill in the air and the cozy recipes. But, let me tell you what happens to me every year: Toward the end of summer I start getting really excited for fall. I start jotting down recipe ideas, planning blog posts with the greatest intentions and highest ambitions, doodling photo ideas, and then fall actually happens and I barely get a chance to do any of it! Why is fall so dang busy??

I've been planning to make this soup since fall began and here I am finally making and posting it. Fall and Winter cooking is my favorite and I have pages and pages (literally) of recipe ideas plus tried and true favorites that I just never get around to making before the seasons slip away. I'm making more of an effort this go around, I promise.

Back to this Beef and Barley soup.

This recipe is my version of Karen's of The Food Charlatan blog. Hers is the first food blog I ever really started following and cooking from. Her recipes are amazing, approachable, and always turn out so perfectly! This soup is an all time favorite from her site. Another one I make on repeat, especially this time of year is her Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in a Coconut Curry Sauce. She has comfort food down to a science and her blog posts and stories are so entertaining! If you aren't already following her, you should!

I did add a few of my own little twists to this recipe, but still, it is absolutely hers (or her mother in laws if you go read her post). In my version, I added a cup of wine to my broth because the French-woman in me just can't help it. I also added some bay leaves and rosemary because I love them in hearty soups. Other than that and a few minor changes to the process, I left it just as she has it written.

Putting the Beef in this Beef and Barley Soup

Another thing about my most recent version that is so special is that I used a beautiful, local chuck roast from my friends at Hayfield Farm. Erica and Dylan are the picture of responsible, loving farmers - loving to each other, to their animals, and to the earth. They take care and pride in every step of the process, from raising the calves, to having them butchered and processed locally and with the most minimal waste. If you want soup bones and harder to find butcher's cuts, they've got them. And not just beef, they offer pork, lamb, a variety of sausage, and more. It's all delicious and I feel so lucky and totally spoiled to have it in my freezer. Also, if you follow me on Instagram you know they have the MOST beautiful eggs that have ever existed.

I started with about a 4 pound, bone-in chuck roast and trimmed and cubed it myself. I probably ended up with about 3 pounds of meat, so a bit more than the recipe calls for, but that's never a bad thing. Just aim for 2-3 pounds of good, marbled stew meat. And, if you can, try to find a local source for your meat. You won't just be doing yourself and your family a favor, but you'll be supporting your local economy, your local farmers, and the environment as well.

I hope you'll give this beef and barley soup a try! Let me know if you do. Don't forget to Pin it for later by clicking on any of the images in this post!

Make sure to check out the original over at The Food Charlatan and also, especially if you are local to the Fauquier County area, go check out Hayfield Farm as well. They have a winter meat CSA that will keep your freezer stocked and your belly happy all winter long! xo - Anita

Hearty Beef and Barley Soup

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• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

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Description

This Hearty Beef and Barley Soup is the perfect meal for the cooler months. It is a full meal in a bowl, with hearty chunks of tender beef, plenty of veggies, and wholesome pearled barley. It is rich and flavorful and just what we all want on a chilly evening. My favorite kind of food for my favorite time of year. Serve it with some warm, crusty bread and good, salted butter, a glass of red wine or a rich, dark beer and you've got yourself the perfect, coziest dinner.

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Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds stew meat (nicely marbled beef chunks)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 10 cups water
• 1 cup wine, red or white
• 3 mounded tablespoons beef stock concentrate (I recommend Better than Bouillon)
• 3 stalks celery (about 2 cups), chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 large yukon gold potato, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
• 3-4 large carrots, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
• 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Generously salt and pepper the beef. In a large stockpot or dutch oven (I use a huge cast iron dutch oven), heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. When the pan is very hot and the oil begins to smoke a bit, add about ⅓ of meat in a single layer. Don't crowd the pan. Brown for about 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate when it is browned on all sides.
3. Repeat with remaining meat until all meat is browned.
4. When all the meat is browned, add all the meat back to the pot with water, wine, and beef base.
5. Add the chopped celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 2 hours with the lid on but partially cracked.
6. When the meat is tender and you can break it apart easily with a wooden spoon, add the shredded potato, carrots, and barley.
7. Continue to simmer until barley is tender, about another 45 minutes to one hour.
8. If you find the soup becoming too thick, just add a bit more water.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

• Follow steps 1-3 as instructed above. If your slow cooker has a browning function, use that. I'm all about less cleanup!
• Add browned beef, beef base, water, wine, celery, onions, and garlic, and herbs to the slow cooker and stir.
• Cook on low for about 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour.
• Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so, until it is tender. Or use quick cooking barley and simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.

Notes

Let your pan get smoking hot before you begin browning the meat. Throw open the windows and turn on the exhaust fan. It's worth it.

I used red wine, but feel free to use whatever you have. A dark beer would be good too! Or just leave the alcohol out. It will still be delicious!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Category: soups and stews
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: american

More hearty recipes to use up that delicious local meat! All of these are getting photo updates over the next few months. Ignore the old, terrible photos, but do follow the recipes. They are delicious!!

My Simple Pot Roast (I'll be using a Hayfield Chuck Roast and updating this post very soon! Like, tomorrow!)

My Dad's Shepherd's Pie

Meatballs and Marinara

Classic Bolognese Sauce

Enchiladas with Homemade Mexican Red Sauce