Savor the timeless taste of beef barley soup, a comfort food recipe that has journeyed from ancient times to modern kitchens.

Beef barley soup is packed with a variety of vegetables, including mushrooms, baby potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions.

Using inexpensive cuts of beef, spices, red wine, broth, and tomato paste, this soup has a deep, rich flavor that improves with time.

Beef Barley Soup Traditions

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated grains, grown in the Middle East as early as 8500 BCE.

A classic beef barley soup didn’t become popular in the colder regions of North America until the 19th and early 20th centuries.

What started with two ingredients, beef and barley, has evolved into a rich, flavourful, thick soup brought to Canada and the USA by immigrants from Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Barley was popular in Scotland primarily because it was easier to grow, given the climate, than wheat.

From medieval beef and barley soup to contemporary traditional recipes, many are unique yet still share the same hearty flavor.

Although I’m British, my mum used to make the occasional pot of beef barley soup, among many others, so it’s been ages since I’ve eaten it.

I had to ask my sister for Mum’s recipe because she’s no longer here with us, but thankfully, we have all of her recipes.

Mum would serve beef barley soup with homemade rolls/baps or bread, so I’ve chosen my high-protein cheddar biscuits recipe.

Best Cuts Of Beef To Make Soup

The name Barely Beef Barley Soup is fitting, as beef is expensive in Canada, and you don’t need to add a whole roast to make a pot of soup.

For this recipe, I used one pound of beef, which is exceptionally substantial once you add the veggies and barley.

We had premium Australian steaks that we picked up for 50% off from the Flashfood app.

They were so good, but we didn’t buy them specifically to make this recipe.

Essentially, you can use any cut of beef to make beef barley soup, depending on your grocery budget.

I’d avoid expensive cuts of lean beef, as you want it to have some fat to help enrich the soup base.

Lean cuts of beef yield tough, chewy, and dry meat even after cooking them for a long time.

Home chefs prefer to use stewing beef, as it’s a more challenging cut and relatively inexpensive.

Cheaper cuts of meat contain a high amount of collagen and nutrients that break down during the slow cooking process, creating a rich beef broth.

Since the price of beef has risen in Canadian grocery stores, opting for ground beef is a great option.

You still get all the goodness and a full tummy at the end of each bowl.

Ground Beef Stewing Beef – may contain cuts of beef from various parts of the cow. Beef Short Ribs Flank Steak Leftover Roast Beef (include near the end of the cooking process as it’s already cooked) Collagen-rich Chuck Roast/Shoulder/Steak – Cube it yourself

How To Prepare Beef For Barley Soup

I like to cut the beef into bite-sized chunks, lightly flour it, and season it with salt and pepper.

Adding extra-virgin olive oil and chopped garlic to the bottom of a heavy pot on high heat, I sear and quickly brown the beef.

After removing the beef from the pot, you will be left with a rich, flavourful stain in the bottom of your pot.

That’s what I call meat gold.

Beef Broth For Soup Making

Not everyone has beef bones or stock ready, but if you can get your hands on some, it will always be the healthier option for any recipe that requires it.

Sometimes, if you ask a local butcher if they have any beef bones to sell, they will likely have some available, and at a reasonable price.

I didn’t have any broth for this recipe, so I opted for beef bouillon, which is a fantastic alternative.

Some people prefer to buy pre-made beef stock, which is a viable option and offers convenience.

How To Make Beef Barley Soup

My beef barley soup is packed with a variety of vegetables, including sliced white mushrooms, baby potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions.

Additionally, you can add chopped cabbage, corn, edamame, peas, and almost any other bean or vegetable to bulk up or stretch a pot of beef barley soup.

You can use any vessel to make beef barley soup, such as;

Soup pot Dutch Oven Crockpot Instant Pot

Ingredients

1lb cubed beef 1-2 tbsp all-purpose flour 8 cups beef broth 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 medium onion, diced 2 carrots chopped small 1/2lb fresh sliced white mushrooms 2 cups chopped celery 6 small white potatoes, cubed 3/4 dry pearl barley (washed) 1 tbsp dry Thyme 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup dry red wine juice of 1 lemon 1 small can of tomato paste 156 g 2 bay leaves 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

On a cutting board, cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, 1tsp of each. Add 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour to coat the beef (add more flour if needed) In a large soup pot over high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and minced garlic. Once it starts to sizzle, add the beef cubes, ensuring that you shake off any excess flour from the beef. Do not stir the beef; let it brown heavily on each side. Let the first side cook for 2 minutes, then flip it for another minute. Remove the beef and set it into a bowl to rest. In the pot, add the red wine and lemon juice to deglaze the bottom before adding the celery, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, and onions. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and beef cubes, and stir until well combined. Add the bay leaves and thyme—taste to see if you need to add more salt and adjust accordingly. Let cook on low to medium heat for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Add the washed pearl barley and simmer over medium heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender and soft. Add chopped fresh parsley at the end and stir it into the beef barley soup. Serve hot with fresh bread, buns, or biscuits.

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