Old-Fashioned Beef and Barley Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 7, 2011
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Beef Stock
1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered1 large onion, chopped medium1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef 2 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup dry red wine 8 cups water 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium1 large celery rib, chopped medium2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons table salt 2 bay leavesSoup
1 pound beef sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch piecesTable salt and ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced ½-inch thick1 medium onion, chopped medium1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ cup dry red wine 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained½ cup pearl barley 3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leavesInstructions
- For the stock: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is browned and golden brown fond has formed on bottom of pot, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in water, carrot, celery, soy sauce, salt, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, skimming as needed, until broth tastes rich and flavorful, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer. Let stock settle for 5 to 10 minutes. Defat broth by skimming or with a fat separator.
- For the soup: Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes, reducing heat if pot begins to scorch. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons more oil and remaining beef; transfer beef to bowl.
- Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pot and place over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Stir in 6 cups beef stock, tomatoes, barley, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and browned meat with any accumulated juice. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until meat, barley, and vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Off heat, remove bay leaves. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Yield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Beef Stock
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 large onion, chopped medium
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
8 cups water
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 large celery rib, chopped medium
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons table salt
2 bay leaves
Soup
1 pound beef sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced ½-inch thick
1 medium onion, chopped medium
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup pearl barley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Ingredients
Beef Stock
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 large onion, chopped medium
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
8 cups water
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 large celery rib, chopped medium
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons table salt
2 bay leaves
Soup
1 pound beef sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced ½-inch thick
1 medium onion, chopped medium
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup pearl barley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Ingredients
Beef Stock
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 large onion, chopped medium
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
8 cups water
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 large celery rib, chopped medium
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons table salt
2 bay leaves
Soup
1 pound beef sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced ½-inch thick
1 medium onion, chopped medium
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup pearl barley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Why This Recipe Works
For our beef soup recipe, could we make a flavorful from-scratch broth without slaving over a stove all day after bringing home a carload of beef? We could—using a full 6 pounds of beef shank (yes, you really do need this much) or a combination of chuck and small marrow bones. First we browned the meat and an onion in the pan, then removed them and deglazed the pan with red wine. Reducing the wine to a syrup, returning the meat and onions to the pan, and letting them "sweat" over low heat for about 20 minutes unleashed their flavorful juices. To finish our beef soup recipe, we added water and simmered for 1 1/2 to two hours—certainly more time than it takes to open a can, but not an all-day affair, either.
Instructions
- For the stock: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is browned and golden brown fond has formed on bottom of pot, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in water, carrot, celery, soy sauce, salt, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, skimming as needed, until broth tastes rich and flavorful, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer. Let stock settle for 5 to 10 minutes. Defat broth by skimming or with a fat separator.
- For the soup: Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes, reducing heat if pot begins to scorch. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons more oil and remaining beef; transfer beef to bowl.
- Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pot and place over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Stir in 6 cups beef stock, tomatoes, barley, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and browned meat with any accumulated juice. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until meat, barley, and vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Off heat, remove bay leaves. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
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