Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Season the stewing beef with salt and pepper. Place the beef in a ziploc bag and add the flour over the beef. Close the bag and shake until each piece of beef is fully covered in flour. You can also do this in a bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pot and cook just until the meat starts to brown about 3 minutes per side. Do this in 2 or 3 batches to avoid crowding the meat. Remove the meat from the pot after browning and set it aside.
- In the same pot, add more olive oil if needed. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, oregano, and tomato paste to the pot and stir. Cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add a bit of the beef broth to the pot to deglaze the brown bits from the bottom. Add the meat back to the pot, then add the beef broth and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
- Add the barley to the pot, cover it, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through. Stir occasionally so the barley does not stick. If the soup is too thick, add more water until you reach the desired consistency.
- Remove the soup from the heat and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
If you use pearl barley, it usually takes 25-30 minutes to cook. Hulled barley usually takes 40-50 minutes. Barley is cooked when it is tender yet chewy. If using hulled barley, add it before covering the pot and cooking the beef. If you cannot find barley, use rice or couscous instead. If you make this soup ahead of time, add the barley the day you serve it. Store leftover beef barley soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.