Well……the snow has arrived. This is probably the first year of my life where I was not excited to see it. Thankfully our temperatures over the next week should stay in up in the 30’s which means that it’s still easy to be able to send kids out to play for a few minutes when I notice my work-from-home-office getting a little too loud! One thing I am excited for with the colder weather, however, is that it’s full on soup season! Woohoo!
This past weekend I decided to make up a large pot of Beef Mushroom Barley soup for the family along with some buttermilk biscuits. I like to make this soup a little on the thicker side and use an entire box of quick-cooking barley pearls, but if you like it a little more on the soupy side, feel free to add another cup or 2 of liquid. The leftovers keep great and I might even enjoy them more! (the barley will soak up more liquid as it is stored, so you may want to add extra water when reheating)
Beef Mushroom Barley Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, 1/2 inch to 1 inch diced
2 cups yellow onions, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
16 ounce sliced mushrooms
3 quarts water
3 tablespoons beef soup base (I use better than bouillon)
1 tablespoon chicken soup base (I use better than bouillon)
1 – 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 ounces quick cooking barley
1/4 cup parsley, fresh chopped
In a large (7qt or more) dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering and sear the beef until browned on all sides. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Stir and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and the mushrooms have reduced in size. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of your pot and slowly add your water, soup bases, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the barley and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh parsley before serving