Warm and thick with big hunks of meaty beef, this soup is a stick to your ribs comfort food that is fantastic after a day out in the cold. Serve with a warm crusty bread, slices of cheese, and veggie plate to make a complete meal. It's especially good warmed up the next day for lunches, and makes lots so you can freeze it in individual sized portions and let older kids take care of their own.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs of stewing beef, trimmed of fat and cut into bite sized cubes
1 cup EACH chopped celery, chopped carrots, and chopped onions
1 clove of garlic, minced
7 cups of beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
2/3 cup pearl barley
1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
3/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste
In a large soup pot, saute the beef in batches in a small amount of oil until browned. Remove from pot to a plate. In the same soup pot, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic for about 5 minutes or until softened, adding more oil if necessary. Add the beef and it's juices, and all the other ingredients back into the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is very tender. This soup may appear runny while you are making it but the starch from the barley will thicken it up over time. I like to garnish with a little fresh chopped Italian parsley.
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