Beef Barley Soup

Cozy and warming, ready in one pot.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Stick-to-your-ribs winter meal in a bowl.
• Tender beef, chewy barley, rich broth.
• Budget chuck becomes restaurant-quality after slow simmer.
• Makes great leftovers.
• Freezes well.

Ingredient Notes

• Beef chuck is the right cut — it gets fork-tender and shreds.
• Pearl barley is the standard; hulled barley needs longer cooking.
• Tomato paste cooked in oil unlocks umami.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Stew meat or short rib instead of chuck.
• Farro instead of barley.
• Add mushrooms in last 20 minutes.

Equipment Needed

• Heavy Dutch oven

Prep Tips

• Pat beef dry — wet meat steams instead of browning.
• Cut beef and veg the same size.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 lb ground beef, 1 barley, 1 medium onion, diced, 1 medium carrot, sliced, 1 celery, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 cup beef broth, 1 medium tomato, diced. mince the garlic, dice the onion, and chop the vegetables into even pieces before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Sear beef; set aside. Pull beef at 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium; rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.

3. 3

   Sauté veg.

4. 4

   Add broth, tomato, barley, beef.

5. 5

   Simmer 75 min until tender.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Brown the beef well — fond is everything for a rich broth.
• Add barley in the last 40 minutes — earlier and it turns to mush.
• Even better the next day.

Common Mistakes

• Crowding the pan when browning — meat steams.
• Adding barley too early — turns to gluey paste.
• Boiling vs simmering — beef toughens.

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