🍰 Best Ever Beef Barley Soup 🥣🍖

Satisfy Your Soul with Every Spoonful! Perfect for chilly evenings or a comforting family meal.

🍽️ Ingredients 🍽️
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 8 cups beef broth (or stock)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lb beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

🧑‍🍳 Directions 🧑‍🍳
1. Brown the Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef cubes to the pot in batches, browning them on all sides (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the browned beef and set aside.
2. Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant.
3. Combine Ingredients: Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, pearl barley, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked.
4. Final Touches: If using, stir in the frozen peas and Worcestershire sauce. Let the soup simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Serve: Remove the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

🍎 Nutritional Information 🍎
- Calories: 330 per serving
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Proteins: 24g
- Fats: 15g
- Sodium: 870mg
- Fiber: 6g

💡 Tips and Tricks 💡
- For a richer flavor, consider browning the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which can lead to steaming instead of browning.
- If you like a soup with more broth, feel free to add an extra cup of beef broth or water during the simmering process.
- Barley absorbs a lot of liquid, so if you're planning on leftovers, you might need to add more broth when reheating.

⏳ Preparation time ⏳
Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 85 minutes | Serving: 6