Description
Warm pioneer woman beef barley soup blends hearty chunks of tender beef with robust vegetables and nutty barley. Rich broth and satisfying ingredients create a comforting meal you’ll savor with each nourishing spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) beef oxtails, trimmed
- 10 cups (2.4 liters) beef broth, canned
- 1 cup (170 g) pearled barley
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
- 4 carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, high-quality
- 2 sprigs thyme, fresh
- 3 bay leaves
- salt, kosher, to taste
- pepper, black, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Seasoning and Searing: Season oxtails with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and thoroughly brown oxtails, developing a golden exterior that intensifies flavor. Remove browned meat to a separate plate.
- Vegetable Foundation: Reduce heat and sauté leeks, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic until softened and lightly caramelized, creating an aromatic base for the soup.
- Herb Infusion and Liquid Integration: Tie thyme and bay leaves into an herb bundle. Return oxtails to the pot, pour in beef broth, and submerge the herb bundle. Season the liquid and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Slow Transformation: Cover and allow the stew to simmer for 60-75 minutes, enabling meat to become incredibly tender while developing rich, layered flavors. Periodically skim excess fat from the surface.
- Barley Preparation: Simultaneously cook pearl barley in water until tender yet slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- Flavor Melding: Remove herb bundle from the stew. Incorporate cooked barley into the pot and continue simmering for an additional 15-20 minutes to harmonize flavors.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning to taste. Decide whether to serve with or without oxtails. Ladle the robust, steaming stew into warm bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose high-quality, well-marbled oxtails for maximum flavor and tenderness, ensuring a rich, deeply satisfying soup experience.
- Caramelization is Key: Take time to brown oxtails thoroughly, creating a golden-brown crust that develops complex, deep flavor foundations for the entire dish.
- Herb Bundle Technique: Tying herbs together with kitchen twine allows easy removal and prevents loose herbs from scattered throughout the soup, maintaining a clean presentation.
- Barley Cooking Precision: Cook barley separately to control its texture, ensuring it remains slightly al dente and doesn’t become mushy when added to the final soup.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg