Beef and Barley Soup

Method

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1. Pat the beef dry and season with half the salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat and brown the beef in two batches, 4 minutes each. Set aside.

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2. Add the remaining oil, the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms and cook 8 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to colour.

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3. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook 2 minutes.

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4. Pour in the stock, scraping up the browned bits, and add the beef, bay leaves, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

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5. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 60 minutes.

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6. Stir in the barley, replace the lid and simmer 35 to 40 minutes more, until the barley and beef are tender.

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7. Season with the remaining salt, remove the bay leaves and stir in the parsley.

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Chef’s Tips

• Brown the beef in batches. A crowded pan steams and the broth comes out thin.
• Add the barley late. It turns to mush if it simmers for two hours.
• The soup thickens overnight, so thin it with stock or water when reheating.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Crusty bread
• A green salad
• A dark ale

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 5 days. It thickens as the barley swells, so loosen with stock when reheating. Freeze for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.