Fighting the Chill

Late winter/early spring in New England is the total PITS! It is by far my least favorite time of year. Cold and damp and depressing. I even missed the syrup window this year so I don't even have that to perk me up. Just a bunch of mud, dead worms and stir crazy, cooped up dogs to contend with. My husband has also seemed to have developed the uncanny ability to catch every germ in town. So, to keep myself busy, repel the dreary cold and help sooth upset tummy's, I have brought forth more soup for you! This particular recipe is a 2 day process for me but you can certainly shorten it up if you want. You don't need an instant pot either. On a conventional stove top, you would just need to cook part 1 low and slow for about 6-8 hours and your results would be similar. You can make this soup in a single day as part 2 comes together quickly. I break it up into a 2-day process to make it easier on myself and give the flavors time to meld.

Erika's Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

Ingredients

Part 1

4 T butter

2 onions, sliced

1, 3-4 pound beef roast (chuck, pot, rump, bottom – you’re going to be cooking the shit out of it so any cut will do but leaner cuts will have stringier results)

1 can coca-cola (does wonders to tenderize)

¼ C soy sauce

2-3 gloves garlic

1 envelope onion soup mix (can omit or just add a bouillion cube and some onion powder to substitute. Sometimes, I will add an envelope of good seasons Italian dressing as a substitute, too)

Few shakes Worcestershire sauce

(Sometimes I also add marrow bones to up the flavor and give my dogs a treat to chew on for later)

Saute onions and butter in instant pot until slightly browned

Add meat and remaining ingredients

Add lid a pressure cook for 1 hour. Let decompress naturally and cool, skim fat. For tougher cuts of meat you can extend the pressure cooking time, as needed.

Part 2

2 T oil

2-3 stalks celery chopped fine

2-3 carrots chopped fine

1 box beef broth

Aprox. 1 cup barley

2 Tbs molasses (optional)

In a large sauce pot saute carrots and celery in oil until softened

Remove meat from instant pot and, if using a roast, break up the meat up into soup-sized pieces

Add liquid from instant pot (you can pour it through a sieve if there are lots of gross fatty bits in it)

Add beef broth and bring to a boil

Reduce to a simmer and add barley

Simmer until barley is cooked. Add molasses if desired (I like the flavor it gives)