HERE’S THE FUN

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound beef stew meat*

¾ teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped into ½-inch pieces

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups low sodium beef broth, or low sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

¾ cup pearl barley, rinsed chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the stew beef cubes to the pot and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook until browned on all sides and then remove the beef to a clean plate.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic, dried thyme, and tomato paste to the pot. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Return the browned beef and any juices from the plate to the pot.

Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low so that it maintains a low simmer and cover the pot. Cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in the barley. Cover the pot and simmer for 45-60 more minutes until the barley and beef are tender. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in more broth if too much has evaporated while cooking and warm over medium heat if needed. Adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, to taste. Serve, garnished with fresh parsley.