Beef Barley Soup

For special occasions, I have made a prime rib roast for the family. There are usually leftovers and that only means one thing…soup! I use the leftover beef and bones to make a hot, steaming pot of Beef Barley Soup. Pearl barley is a grain that is high in fiber and packed with nutrients, making this soup healthy and hearty. A great weeknight meal anytime of the year!

What is barley?

Barley is a nutritious grain grown mostly in the Pacific Northwest. It becomes edible when the outer, tough husk is removed. Barley gives this soup a wonderful texture and taste. It adds a comforting quality and makes the soup more hearty, like pasta does when added to a recipe.

The US produces roughly 200 million bushels of barley each year. About 75% of the barley produced in America is used by US brewers to make 190 million barrels of beer annually. The rest is sold to consumers for cooking and companies who make baked goods.

Beef Barley Soup

What’s needed?

• 1 pound Prime Rib Roast and bones (a small English roast would also work well, cut into small pieces)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup button mushrooms, chopped
• 15-ounces beef broth
• 22-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup pearl barley
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make Beef Barley Soup?

• Using a large soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the onion, celery and carrots in canola oil for about 6 minutes or until tender.

• Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes and water. Cut the bones apart, if using prime rib roast, and cut away any excess beef. Discard any extra fat.

• Add the bones and beef to the soup.

• Cover the soup pot with a lid and simmer for one hour. The meat will get tender and begin to fall off the bones. After an hour, remove the bones from the pot, allow them to cool.
• Add the barley, cabbage, frozen peas, salt, pepper and oregano to the soup. Remove the last of the meat from the cooled bones and return it to the soup pot. Stir and simmer for another 30 minutes.

• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve it with chunks of crusty bread.

You can use small pasta in place of barley if you prefer. We really like the taste and texture of barley in this soup. It is inexpensive and high in fiber. Give this recipe a try and remember to leave me a comment.