Beef and Barley Soup

Another raw, wet, nasty day in the Ohio Valley called for a warm comforting dinner.  Beef and barley soup, bread and a glass of good red wine was a good fit.  I have made this before successfully, but have no idea what recipe I followed.   Back to the drawing board. After reviewing various web sites (the best being Cooks Illustrated and Serious Eats) and cookbooks, I came up with this.  

There were a number of versions that did not appeal to me, but they might to you.  In the interests of fairness, I ditched bell peppers, mushrooms, parsnips, dill and marjoram.  I also ditched cooking the barley separately and adding it in at the end.  I kept both tomato paste and diced tomatoes, red wine (duh) and stayed with chuck roast and oxtails.  The last time I made this I used boneless short ribs from Costco with tasty results, but a trip to Costco was not happening today.  Serious Eats recommended adding 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce at the end, an interesting umami addition.  Anchovies would work too.   I happen to have both porcini powder and Umami Paste (I bought it at Sur La Table, but it does not appear to be available online) so some of that went in too.  

Makes about 5 quarts - keeps well in the freezer

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 3 - 3 1/2 pound chuck roast cut into four pieces (or boneless short ribs from Costco)
• 4 oxtails (3/4 lbs)
• 3 ribs of celery - diced
• 2 carrots - diced
• 2 onions - diced
• 6 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 T. porcini powder (optional)
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 T. Umami Paste (optional)
• 1 cup dry red wine (I used more since I had some leftover wine in the fridge)
• 8 cups beef broth
• 2 bay leaves and 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme tied in a bundle (for easy removal)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups pearled barley
• 1/2 t. fish sauce
• salt & pepper
  

Directions:

1.  Coat the bottom of an 8 quart enameled dutch oven (I used a Le Creuset oval #33) with olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
2.  Salt chuck roast and oxtails and brown well on all sides - 10-15 minutes.

3.  Remove meat and pour off the fat. 
4.  Re coat the pot with fresh oil, heat back on medium high and add the carrots, celery and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the vegetables have softened (about 10 minutes), then add the garlic and porcini powder (if using). Stir for a few more minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, cut the chuck roast into bite size pieces removing any fat and silver skin.
6.  Clear a spot in the bottom of the pot and add the tomato paste and Umami Paste (if using).  Stir for a few minutes until slightly brown.

7.  Add the red wine, turn the heat to high and reduce until the wine is almost gone, about 10-20 minutes.

8.  Add the tomatoes, beef broth, thyme bundle, chuck and oxtails.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat and simmer for one and a half hours. Taste to see if the meat is almost completely tender.

9.  Stir in the barley and simmer for another hour.
10.  Remove the oxtails, remove the meat (if desired) and add back to the soup. 
11.  Add the fish sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.