Go Back
+ servings
Brown bowl filled with chunks of meat and barley grains in a tomato broth with a spoon in the bowl.
Print Recipe
5 from 67 votes

Old-Fashioned Hearty Beef Barley Soup

A satisfying soup that warms you from the inside out. The beef is slowly simmered and what remains is delicious broth that is made richer with the addition of red wine and spicy V-8 Juice.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Hearty soup, main dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 377kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef chuck - blade cut - 2 ¼ pounds ground and ¾ pound diced may sub pork ** see notes below
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 medium stalks celery chopped
  • 2 medium onions chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • ¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
  • Thyme - 4 sprigs
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 quart Spicy V-8 Juice
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • ¾ cup barley -- not instant ***see notes if gluten intolerant.
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Stove Top Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, over medium-high heat, brown the beef in 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Salt and pepper the meat as it is browning. Once the beef is browned remove it and all the juices and place in a heat proof dish.
  • In the Dutch oven melt the remaining butter in the olive oil and sauté the celery and onion until they become soft and translucent. Do not brown. Stir in the garlic; sauté 1 minute.
  • Add the parsley, thyme sprigs and bay leaves . Continue to sauté for another minutes.
  • Add the beef back into the pot and mix thoroughly. Once all of the ingredients are evenly mixed add the Spicy V-8 Juice, beef broth and red wine. Heat to a low boil, add the barley and let it come to a simmer and cover.
  • Continue to cook covered stirring occasionally. Simmer for 4 - 5 hours until meat is tender and barley is done.
  • Taste to make sure the salt and pepper is to your taste.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, over medium-high heat, brown the beef in 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Salt and pepper the meat as it is browning. Once the beef is browned remove it and all the juices and place in a slow cooker.
  • In the Dutch oven melt the remaining butter in the olive oil and sauté the celery and onion until they become soft and translucent. Do not brown. Stir in the garlic; sauté 1 minute.
  • Add the parsley, thyme sprigs and bay leaves . Continue to sauté for another minutes.
  • Add the ingredients to the beef in the crockpot and mix thoroughly. Once all of the ingredients are evenly mixed add the Spicy V-8 Juice, beef broth and red wine. Heat on high for 1 hour then continue to on low, add the barley and continue for an additional 7 hours.
  • Check to make sure the meat is tender and the barley is done. Taste to make sure the salt and pepper is to your taste.

Notes

  • If you don't like spicy you can substitute regular V-8 for the spicy.
  • You may use boneless country style pork ribs for the meat in the same quantity as the beef.
  • If you can't have grains with gluten, sub green lentils for the barley in the same amount. 

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 21.9mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 4mg