Beef and Barley with Mushrooms (Printable Version)

Tender beef, pancetta, mushrooms, and pearl barley in a flavorful broth perfect for cold weather.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 4 oz pancetta, diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Grains

08 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside.
02 - Season beef chuck cubes with salt and pepper. Add to the pot in batches, searing until browned on all sides, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Remove beef and set aside.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their juices and begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Return beef and pancetta to the pot. Add barley, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil.
06 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is fully cooked.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a one-pot wonder that actually tastes like you spent all day on it, but most of the work happens while you're doing something else.
  • The barley absorbs all that rich, meaty broth and becomes almost creamy without any cream involved.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, so you're basically gifting yourself an easy dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip searing the beef—it takes time, but those browned bits are where the flavor lives, and boiling the meat without searing first tastes disappointingly pale.
  • Rinse your barley before adding it, or the soup will turn cloudy and slightly gummy from released starch.
03 -
  • Let your beef come to room temperature before searing; cold beef will steam instead of brown, and steamed beef tastes different from seared beef.
  • Taste the soup multiple times during cooking, especially toward the end—it's how you know exactly when it's done and what it still needs.
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