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Hearty Beef, Barley and Vegetable Stoup

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"I believe it was Rachael Ray who coined the word, 'stoup,' and this rich broth teeming with chewy barley and vegetables is a perfect example of what stoup is: thicker than soup but thinner than stew. On a winter day, it will warm your bones from the inside out. Moreover, it makes a ton and freezes well, so you can check off two meals at once. This soup has saved me on many a snowy day, when I've been stuck in the house with no food, no plow, and starving snow-drenched kids to feed. Just a quick defrost—then feed 'em, dress 'em, and they're out the door again."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds well-marbled beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons salt
â—¦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups chopped yellow onions
â—¦ 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
â—¦ ¾ cup red wine (any dry red will work, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.)
â—¦ 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
â—¦ 1 ½ cups water
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
â—¦ ¾ cup pearl barley
â—¦ 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
â—¦ ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, for garnish



Recipe

Season the beef with the pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt.

In a large (6-quart) Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and sear, without turning, until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the partially browned beef to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef. Sear in the same manner, and then transfer to the plate.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Do not brown; lower the heat if necessary. (If the brown bits don't release from the bottom of the pan, help them along by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water.)

Stir in the tomato paste. Add the partially browned beef (along with any juices), wine, broth, water, bay leaves, thyme, sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt to the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the barley and carrots and simmer, covered, until the carrots and barley are cooked and the beef is tender, about 1 hour more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. (I usually add a bit more salt, pepper, and sugar, but it depends on the beef broth you use.) If you like a thicker soup, simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached. For a thinner soup, add a little more water. (Note: The soup might seem too "brothy" at first; but be careful not to reduce it too much because the barley quickly soaks up the broth.) Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

Serves 6



• Make Ahead:
This soup keeps nicely in the fridge for up to 3 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, as it chills, the barley will absorb most of the broth. When you reheat it, add some water to reconstitute it—just keep in mind that you'll need to re-season it with salt and pepper as well.