It's a childhood moment Beef Barley Soup

My adult kids and I went to Portillos where they had Beef Barley Soup.  It was amazing.  It was one of those instant return to childhood moments for me.  The memory that is very similar to the Ratatouille movie (around 1:31).   I needed to come home and make more.

The first time I made this I made it with beef neck bones – there’s meat, neck bones and fat that really bring flavor to the soup – tasting much like Portillos.  BUT the fat content goes up.  So I searched out a lighter fare of soup.  Between Bill Phillips Eating for Life cookbook and Skinny Taste I think I came up with a keeper.

• 2 Tablespoons of Extra Light Olive Oil
• 1 ½ pounds lean beef
• 2 – 14.5 ounce cans low fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
• ½ of a large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 extra large carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon restaurant ground black pepper
• 1 beef bouillon cube.
• ½ cup pearl barley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

Pour the olive oil into a large Dutch oven.  Add the beef and brown nicely about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and vegetables and cook for five minutes so that the veggies have a chance to take on some of the beef flavor.

Add the barley and cook for a minute.

Add the salt, pepper, beef bouillon cube, and the oregano and stir.

Add the broth, tomatoes and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for an hour.

The soup is hearty and tastes pretty good.  I would however, add another can of beef broth before I served it because after it sits the barley takes on the broth and they plump up.  Great for  a really cold afternoon or evening dinner.

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