Our Beef Barley Soup recipe

2 1/2 pound chuck roast, trimmed of all large pieces of fat

Kosher salt and fresh black pepper for seasoning the beef

1 tablespoon flour

Olive oil for browning the beef

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups diced onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 cup red wine

8 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup pearl barley

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Remove all large and visible pieces of fat from the beef and cut into a 3/4 inch dice. Refer to the pictures in the post for size, it doesn’t have to be precise, you just want bite size pieces of beef. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper and toss in the tablespoon of flour.
Add a thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of a dutch oven or soup pot. Brown the beef cubes in a single layer (you’ll most likely have to do this in 2 batches) making sure to turn the beef to brown on all sides. Once the beef if browned, remove it to a plate and continue with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
Add the carrots, onions and celery to the pot and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste. Stir and cook the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer.
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce for 2 minutes, then pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce along with the fresh thyme.
Return the beef to the pot along with any juices that are on the plate, stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Taste the soup for seasonings at this point and adjust if needed.
Add the barley to the soup, stir, partially cover the pot with the lid and cook another 30 minutes until the barley is tender. Stir in the parsley and serve in bowls with fresh black pepper and more parsley if desired.