Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Base
- 600 g boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 ml olive oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 200 g carrots, diced
- 150 g celery, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Broth & Bulk
- 1500 ml beef broth, low-sodium preferred
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 150 g pearl barley, rinsed
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 5 g fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
- 2 bay leaf
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 347 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 33 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1878 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 67 mg
- Potassium
- 1002 mg
- Calcium
- 103 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 71 mg
- Phosphorus
- 341 mg
- Zinc
- 9.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 303 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 8.2 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 398 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, cube the beef and chop the vegetables. Season the cubed beef chuck evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef and sear until deeply browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pot.
Remove the beef with a wooden spoon and set aside. Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the residual beef fat in the pot. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in a small splash of the beef broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Return the seared beef and any resting juices to the pot. Stir in the remaining beef broth, crushed tomatoes, pearl barley, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and gently simmer at around 90°C/195°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the barley does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve immediately. Ensure beef reaches an internal temperature of at least 74°C/165°F for optimal food safety.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing pearl barley before adding it to the soup washes away excess surface starch, preventing the broth from becoming overly gummy or cloudy.
- For a deeper umami profile, consider adding a tablespoon of tomato paste during the sauté step, letting it caramelize to a rusty brown before deglazing.
- Beef chuck is the ideal cut for this soup; its rich marbling and high collagen content melt slowly during the prolonged simmer, providing a luscious mouthfeel.
- When reheating leftovers, the barley will have inevitably absorbed more broth overnight. Keep extra stock or water on hand to thin it out to your preferred consistency.
- For food safety, always ensure any large pieces of beef have reached a minimum internal temperature of 74°C (165°F), though slow-simmered chuck will safely far exceed this temperature as it tenderizes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Barley will continue to absorb liquid; add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in airtight containers leaving 2cm of headspace to allow for expansion.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until it reaches 74°C/165°F.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick or resembles a stew
Cause: The barley absorbed more liquid than anticipated or the simmer was too aggressive, causing rapid evaporation.
Fix: Stir in an additional 250-500ml of hot beef broth or water until desired consistency is reached, then adjust seasoning.
Prevention: Ensure the lid is tight-fitting during the simmer and the heat is kept very low.
Beef is tough and chewy
Cause: The soup has not simmered long enough to break down the tough connective tissue in the beef chuck.
Fix: Continue simmering for another 20-30 minutes, or until the beef becomes fork-tender.
Prevention: Allow adequate time for simmering, avoiding quick-cooking cuts like sirloin for stewing applications.
Cultural Context
Beef and barley soup is a quintessential comfort food rooted in European peasant traditions, particularly in Scottish and Eastern European cuisines where hardy grains like barley were crucial winter staples. Adapted across North America, the addition of crushed tomatoes provides a balancing acidity that cuts through the intense richness of the beef, creating a beloved, warming winter classic.
