Chef John’s Beef and Barley Stew

This beautiful bowl of old-fashioned beef barley soup would be perfect for your next superstorm. When it comes to stick-to-your-ribs stews, it doesn’t get any better than shank. There’s so much gelatin-producing connective tissue that it makes an incredibly satisfying sauce for your meat and grain.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 3 hrs 20 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices beef shank
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
• ⅔ cup diced celery
• ⅔ cup diced carrots
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup pearl barley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated raw horseradish, or to taste

Steps

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Season beef all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook beef in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate; set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium and stir onion into the same pot with a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onion is soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add tomato paste; cook and stir until tomato paste is brick red, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Pour in broth.
7. Add celery, carrots, rosemary, and bay leaf.
8. Return beef with any accumulated juices to the pot; push beef down to cover with cooking liquid.
9. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and cook until beef is fork tender, 2 to 3 hours. Remove beef to a large bowl.
10. Pour barley into cooking liquid in the pot; bring to a simmer and cook until barley is tender, about 45 minutes.
11. Return beef to the pot. Cover the pot and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
12. Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with parsley and horseradish.