Ingredients:

  • 1lb Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
  • 2-3 Tbsp Flour
  • ½ cup Milk
  • 1tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Pepper
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery, sliced thick
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Pearl Barley
  • 1 cup Carrots, chopped
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth (low sodium)
  • ¼ cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
  • 1 tsp Thyme, dried, crushed
  • Additional Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
  • ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Serves 8-10

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Total Cook time: 1hr – 1 1/2 hrs (need to simmer!)

If I were a purist, I would probably call this a beef stew rather than a soup because of its gravy-like sauce! However, you can always adjust the recipe and add additional broth to suit your individual taste.

Great to freeze for an easy second meal!

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare Beef

  • Optional: Rub beef with a seasoning mix like Montreal Steak Seasoning and tenderize with a fork.
  • Slice beef into bite-sized pieces and place in medium bowl of milk for at least 15 minutes (the lactic acid from the milk will begin to break down the red meat fibers)
  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour with salt and pepper. Set this aside.

Step 2: Saute Veggies

  • In a stockpot, heat olive oil.
  • Add garlic, onion, and celery and saute’ until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.
  • Pour cooked veggies into a small bowl.

Step 3: Coat Meat with Flour and Cook

  • Remove the beef from the milk and let it drain slightly.
  • Heat Olive Oil in the stock pot (about ¼ cup)
  • Place in the bowl with the flour mixture and toss lightly to coat
  • Add Beef to the heated olive oil and cook, turning frequently until browned.
  • Add the veggie mixture (garlic, onion, celery) and continue to cook for about 1 minute

Step 4: Finish it up!

  • Add all remaining ingredients to the pot except for the Romano Cheese: Barley, Carrots, Broth, Parsley, Thyme and a little bit of Salt & Pepper.
  • Let this simmer until Barley is soft, adding additional water to the soup to maintain the consistency you enjoy.

Note: Because there is starch in the Barley and the Flour from the meat will thicken as it cooks, you’ll need to add additional water to the soup as it cooks.

Simmer time is about 45 minutes.

Before serving, add 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar and then additional Salt & Pepper to taste.

To Serve:

Top with grated Romano Cheese and a sprig of parsley.

Enjoy!

NOTE: If you are a juicer, and save the pulp, this is a great soup to throw in a handful of something extra. I threw a little bit of kale into ours…delicious!