Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• Stew beef, cubed
• Beef stock
• Stout beer
• Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c Barley
• Carrots, peeled and cubed
• Potatoes, cubed (and peeled optional)
• Onion, diced
• Garlic, minced
• Salt
• Pepper
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Bay leaves

Steps

1. In a pot heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Once the pot and oil are hot, add onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
3. Turn heat up to medium high and add beef. Cook about 3 minutes on each side.
4. Reduce heat back to medium and add potatoes and carrots.
5. Add enough beef stock to cover all the ingredients by at least an inch, then pour in 1 beer.
6. Add a few healthy shakes of the worcestershire sauce along with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
7. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until the potatoes and carrots are soft and the beef is tender.
8. Add barley and cook to package instructions.
9. Serve hot in a bowl.

Notes!

I make most of my soups in the instapot. If you also use an Instapot or pressure cooker, I recommend cooking the meat and potatoes in the broth on high pressure for 30 minutes and then adding the barley and cooking on high pressure for another 20 minutes.

Once again not a lot of measurements from me, it depends on how veg heavy/light you want to go and how big of a batch you want to make. I usually find that a good base ratio is 1 lb of meat, 3 medium size russet potatoes, 4 carrots, 8 cups of beef stock, and 1 beer. In general just figure out how much meat and veg you want and base the amount of stock off of that, and for very 4 cups of stock also add 1/2 a beer. Seasonings are always healthy pinches and to taste. For bay leaves I usually do 3 leaves when I make soups.

For the beer, I usually use Guinness Extra Stout in this, but throw in whatever beer you want. Alternatively you could add a dry red wine. And ultimately you can remove the alcohol all together if that's not your thing.