Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearl barley
8 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
1. Sear the Beef:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cubed beef stew meat and brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
2. Sauté Vegetables:
In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Combine Ingredients:
Return the seared beef to the pot. Add pearl barley, beef broth, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Simmer:
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beef and barley are tender.
5. Serve:
Once cooked, remove the bay leaves from the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Ladle the beef barley soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve hot.
Enjoy this comforting Beef Barley Soup!