Beef Mushroom Barley Soup

This was awesome just the way it is. I used a quick cooking barley, so I didn't add that till the last hour when I added the mushrooms. Going to try it with some red wine in it next time. It is important to use beef STOCK and not broth. They are not the same...

A BIG WINNER (with a few tweaks...) and crockpot friendly too. To make this recipe a true soup (instead of a stew) I use only 1 lb of beef and 4 oz of barley. I also add two cans of beef consomme and 2 Tbsp Worchester Sauce, both of which give the broth some extra ooomph! Throw everything EXCEPT the barley, into a crockpot for about 6 hrs. Add the barley about 1hr before serving. Easy! A note to new cooks: Taking the time to brown the meat & veg in a skillet is the key to developing flavour base for most every soup or stew. It takes a few more minutes & dirties another dish BUT your taste buds will thank you!

this is the best beef stew I've found (since our old family classic). I left out the mushrooms, only because I forgot to buy some fresh... I did add a little dash of kitchen bouquet, and added more carrots/celery. Two thumbs up!

I didn't have mushrooms so left them out. But otherwise flavor was great! It didn't take 3 hours to cook...I cooked barley only 1 hour and it was definitely enough time for the whole soup.

Loved this! Took a tip from a beef stew recipe and added a Tbl each of steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup/or barbeque sauce, as well as about 1/2 cup red wine and some garlic powder as it started to simmer. It does cook down and I usually will add another cup or 2 of broth around the time I add the mushrooms

Loved, loved, loved!!! Awesome recipe! Delicious and filling. I have had many requests for the recipe!! Highly recommend!!

I wish I had access to beef stock because I thought this was just ok while my husband thought it was great. I'm sure the other reviewer is right - the stock probably makes all the difference. I had to use beef broth. I threw this all into my slowcooker after browning since I wanted the beef really tender. Cooked it on high for 2 hours and 2 for low, it probably could have gone 4 hours on high. Threw the barley in for the last hour and the mushrooms/veggies in the last half hour.

Ok, I made this soup/stew yesterday. I followed the ingredient list almost exactly, with the following changes. 1. I used more beef,because that was what came in the package. 2. and less onion. It is wonderful! I did find the cooking time to be longer than needed. I cooked mine for 11/2 hrs. at a simmer and all my veggies and barley were cooked, I only cooked the mushrooms for 30 mins. before serving. I also had to add more liquid (31/2 cups of water) This is a delicious soup,and does get better the next day. I'll definetly make this again.

This was really good and easy! My few notes: * I used beef bouillon and not stock and it was fine, and I didn't feel it needed any added salt. * I used about 1.25 lbs of stew meat, and it still had meat in every bite. * Added a dash of Worcestershire sauce as others have recommended. * Added frozen peas. Next time I think I will add more veggies because I like a lot of veggies in my soups. * Only used 3/4 cup of barley, added when soup was boiling, and did cook the full 3 hours. Will definitely make this again!

I loved this recipe. It is easy to prepare, uses easily accessible ingredients & isn't 'finicky.' I did make a couple of *very minor* changes (i.e., added 1 additional stalk of celery & 1 additional carrot, for a total of 4 each, & only used one onion, as that was all I had on hand). Other than that I made it exactly as written. NOTE: save yourself some $$ - don't purchase pre-cut "stew meat"; instead purchase the same amount of chuck, and cut it yourself. You'll save a couple of dollars at least, & it's easier to cut to the size you prefer - especially if you put it in the freezer for an hour before you cut it. Oh, yes, one other minor change: I tasted the broth when adding the mushrooms and found it not quite "beefy" enough to suit me, so I added 1 beef bouillon cube. But that could easily just be me. I'm sure it would have been just as good without it. I do recommend tasting it at that time, though, as neither salt nor pepper are included in the ingredients(likely due to the beef stock). This is a very filling dish which refrigerates/reheats easily. I was going to see how it did with freezing, but I honestly don't have enough left to freeze and test. It would make a lovely meal served with a green salad, crusty French bread & a nice red wine. I will most definitely be making this lovely soup again, and soon!

FYI—8 oz. of barley equals 1 cup. This isn’t really a soup; more like a “hearty stew” that’s perfect for a cold winter day. I’m not sure you need to cook it for 3hrs. The long cook time turns the barely and vegetables into mush. Also, the barely absorbs the liquid so you have to continually add water to prevent sticking and that only dilutes the flavor. I actually liked the flavor better before adding the mushrooms and found the end product required a lot of salt and pepper.

I basically followed the recipe regarding the ingredients. I had some leftover bacon from breakfast, so I threw that in along with garlic. (major garlic-lovers) I rarely measure anything and this was no exception... but I think I came pretty close! Just delicious! What a great basic recipe that you can add to or NOT! Thank you for this easy satisfying recipe Wendellian. Whats really exciting to me is that I'll remember it without having to look it up! UPDATE-I've made this soup too many times to count and I've recently started adding some Merlot wine to it. I always make enough to freeze so I won't have to cook after working all day. My husband recently commented, "honey... you make really great soups but this one is a masterpiece! Again, I thank you Wendellian for sharing this killer recipe. I'm making it again today!

This has an excellent flavor (I just tried it and had to write)! A couple notes: This was billed as a soup and I didn't expect it to be so thick; much of the liquid got soaked up by the barley during the simmer. I also added some salt & pepper - thought it was a little bland without and I may toss in a bay leaf next time. The grocery store only had 1 lb. of stew meat so I used chop suey meat for the rest and it worked great - all the meat turned out very tender. I will definitely make it again.

This is a great recipe! More like a "stoup" as Rachael Ray would say. Passing along a hint to those who would like a "clearer" broth. Cook your barley separately according to package directions in beef stock. Personally, I couldn't care less about the cloudiness.

have made several times; have successfully added generous amounts of ground black pepper, a little parsley, a few bay leaves, and a small bit of Worcester sauce to bump up the flavor in this great soup.

I've been making this soup for years! It''s a definite keeper in our family! Add 1 peeled and diced Turnip to this for an unforgettable difference! If we want it soup, I pre cook the barley and add to soup at end. If stew, don't pre cook! If you want a really great taste, use beef tenderloin. Soooooo yummy!

I have made this recipe about 4 times now, and it is a winner! I have made it with quick- cooking barley added at the last hour as another reviewer suggested, and also with regular barley according to the original recipe. Both ways are great, so don't be afraid to make it with either method. If using the regular barley you might want to have extra beef stock on hand to add as it tends to be a thicker consistency. Delicious and wholesome and filling!

The only variations I did was to use 1 package of Lipton Onion soup mix because I only had 4 cups of beef stock (I used boullion cubes). I also sauteed the mushrooms before adding at the end. It was a fabulous dinner for a cold night. Would be great anytime though.

Very tasty! I used 8 cups of homemade beef broth and added a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, per other's suggestions. I used pre cooked roast beef and that saved about 2 hours off the cooking time. It cooked up just the way my husband and I like our soups, on the thicker side. It was still "soupy" because I used the extra cup of broth and kept the lid on while simmering.

I rarely (never) rate food recipes, but this was so good that I had to say something. Like others, I added a few extras: 1 TBL soy sauce, 1 TBL Worcester, and 1/2 cup red wine. The result was a delicious thick soup, more like stew with yummy gravy. This will definitely become a regular on our family menu.

Great soup/stew! I used leftover cooked roast and dehydrated mushrooms. I followed a reviewer's recommendation and added 1T. Worcestershire sauce. The kids even thought it was tasty. I will definitely be making this again!

Excellent. My whole family, including two toddlers, loved this! The mushrooms made this (IMHO), and I was afraid that the barley would get too mushy, but it was perfect! It also reheated nicely.

I browned garlic with the beef and peppered the beef and veggies when I cooked them. I was disappointed because it was very bland. I'll definitely make this again - but will be adding some more seasonings. Thyme and bay leaf maybe.

We loved this stew! I made it true to the recipe with a dash of Worcestershre and ketchup and added additional water to thin it out towards the end. One cup plus... Be sure to simmer with a covered pot.

I made the recipe as given. I will make this again, but using half the amount of barley and season the soup with salt and pepper. I thought it was very bland. All the barley soaked up the juices. It's a very hearty soup which is good.

The recipe was easy to make and a crowd pleaser. I took a pot to work as a treat and everyone thought it was wonderful. I may have used a little extra beef. Chunky beef chunks and the portabella mushrooms it made a hardy meal.

My husband said He Liked it! That was all I needed to hear. This was delicious! I added worchestershire and soy sauce as well as a tsp of smoked paprika, salt & pepper and garlic. I also used dried mushrooms. Can't wait to have it for dinner tonight since others say it gets better as it ages. Thanks for a keeper.

It came out really good. I took the suggestions from some of the other reviews and added some red wine maybe a quarter cup, two Bay leaves and some Worchester sauce, thyme and minced garlic. It's not as good as my grandmothers, but a very good substitution. Will make again. I used beef stock and not beef broth but still don't know the difference. ??

This was my first time really making any soup. The recipe makes a lot. It easily fed 3 adults...twice. :-). It probably would serve 12. It doesn't take 3 hrs. I started the pearled barley while I prepped and cooked the beef and vegetables. I chose to also add 4 cloves of garlic and used a mix of baby Bellas and porcini mushrooms. By the time I had mixed everything in the pot, the barley was ready to add. All in all it took about an hour and 15 minutes. Great soup. Added salt and black pepper along with onion powder. Go by your taste. It actually was much better with grated Parmesan.

This was a huge hit. I added Worcestershire sauce, garlic, thyme, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, and oregano. The barley I cooked separately (substituting stock for water), and added for the last hour of cooking. We do not like ours thick.

Great. I used left overs from a rib roast for the beef and it came out terrific. A little salt and pepper with the veggies helps, too.

Great!

added red wine and woestschire.

Very, very, good! Super easy and great on a chilly night! The only thing I found is that it needs a bit of salt. I did salt and pepper the beef when I was browning it, but it wasn't enough. My beef broth was reduced sodium, so I'm sure that is why. But it was easily fix by adding a little shake of salt to my bowl of soup. Didn't need much! Make this soup!

This is a winter staple in my home and everyone loves it!! Of course, I added a few things.. Fresh chopped garlic is great because everything tastes better with garlic.. Worcester Sauce and Tamari ( or low sodium soy sauce) Just a splash of both.. Cooking sherry and Bermuda sherry pepper sauce to add a small kick!! Bay leaves, thyme and parsley.. It's cooking now and I'm in the other room salivating!! I often change things up as I cook.. Sometimes I add a little cream but this time I had a small packet of truffle powder.. If you have some and love mushrooms, this is the way to go!!

Excellent! Hearty and filling!

This soup was great, tasty and filling. Doubled the mushrooms and next time I'll add more carrots. I used quick cooking barley because that's all I had and i added it in the last hour along with the mushrooms.

excellent

It was excellent!! I just made another pot and put it in the freezer. I did add a little more broth as my husband likes it more soup like - but it's still good.

Excellent soup!!! I had leftover prime rib and used it instead of stew meat. I used 8 C broth, couldn't see having a half cup leftover (2 cartons). I didn't cook the prime rib, but sauteed the veggies then added about 2t. minced garlic and cooked another minute or two. Then I added the mushrooms and once they started th release their juice I added the broth, some rosemary, salt and pepper. I used sodium free broth. Then added the barley, brought it to a boil, added the meat; reduced heat to a simmer, covered and let it go for about 45 min. Hubs kept telling me how good it smelled as I cooked. Glad it makes lots! Will definitely be making this again!

I added a tablespoon of Tuscan Sunset, Paprika Smoked Spanish Style, Ground Cumin, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper.. The finished product is thick, hearty and very tasty.

This is amazing. Made exactly like recipe. Tastes like you are eating a roast. I couldn't believe how flavorful this soup is. Will make again.

I quiet enjoyed this but I did add a few things. I added some bay leaves and thyme. Salt and pepper. It required 2700ml beef broth and I am sure more could have been added as it was still very thick. It only took 2.5hours to simmer instead of 3. Overall very good and I will be making it again.

Easy, delicious, I used 12 cups beef broth for a more "soupy" feel. Spiced it up with salt, pepper, splash of tabasco, splash of worcester sauce, garlic powder and some dried thyme. Will definitely make again.

First, it need much more flavor seasonings. Second, because it cooked for so long, the barley were too soft. Next time I will just sub the barley for some potatoes.....making it a traditional beef stew....

I omitted the celery b/c I didn't have any on hand and I added 5 cloves of crushed garlic. I served it with beer bread and a salad and it was a big hit. Well worth the wait and I will make this again.

I made this and it was the best soup I’ve ever had!!! Will definitely make it again!! Only thing I had to modify was to double the amount of beef broth. I live in a dry climate so thats normally what I have to do. The liquids evaporate so quickly.

Yummy & easy!!! My 2 favorite things!! Great Sunday dinner soup with crusty bread.

This is simply delicious! Hits the spot on a cold winter day. I seasoned the beef with some montreal steak seasoning while cooking. I could only find quick cooking barley, so I added it with the mushrooms in the last half hour of cooking. It seemed ready at this point, so I turned off the heat. The meat was tender and the veggies were cooked perfectly. Another half hour would have been too much. Overall this is a good recipe.

This was so good! I used extra beef broth and added a bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce as others advised. Used 4 oz of barley. Very tasty and hearty

Fabulous! I did tweak recipe. Deglazed veggies with a splash of wine. Added 2 bay leaves and a teaspoon of worcestshire. Combination of stock in a box Beef & Vegetable stock. Used chuck roast whole and simmered for 3 hours. Removed meat, shredded and added back to pot. Absolutely delicious.

All is great except that it needs salt and pepper

Awesome, but needed more broth. A keeper!!

Amazing soup! Great for cold days. I've also made it for friends who are breastfeeding.

We liked this ok but fond we wanted more flavor and heat. I added about two tablespoons of hot sauce and also about three tablespoons or more of Braggs liquid aminos to add more flavor. I didn't measure exactly and did it to taste preference ut we found that we really liked the additional flavor.

excellent, nutritious meal. complete in and of itself! i used dried mushrooms & reconstituted them. i also used neck bones and some other really large, meaty bones that made the flavor of the stock incredible.

Turned out yummy!! I sautéed everything in the soup pot to save a pan, used a little less barley which made it more soup-like. Cooked about 2 hours as other reviewers said and was good! Will make it again

My husband loved this, my kids are mushroom haters (sigh) so had sandwiches for dinner - their loss. I made this using Better Than Bouillon and olive oil. Perfect.

Followed recipe as written. It was pretty thick so I added a bit more broth and cooked about an hour less than recommended. Turned out great! Satisfying meal with a salad and some crusty bread!

This recipe was really good. The only thing I didn't understand was why sautee the veggies separately dirtying up another pan. I seasoned the stew meat with salt and pepper ( 1 lbs only ) and browned in my dutch oven with a bit of canola oil. Once the meat was browned I then added the carrots, onions, celery and 2 large cloves of garlic. Once the onions were translucent I then added beef broth instead of stock and let everything cook until the last hour when I put in the mushrooms, barely and some corn that I cut off the cob that was leftover in my fridge. I did add some extra water during the whole cooking process because the soup itself was getting a little too thick. Everyone ( even my picky eater ) enjoyed this recipe. Will make again

Great recipe; just make sure you use beef stock that you love. Next time I’d like to try substituting mixed vegetables for the mushrooms.

I reduced the barley and added half a jalepeno. It was still too pasty as a result of the barley and I wound up adding about 1.5 cups of additional liquid (I used mushroom stock). The flavor was ok. The half jalepeno did not add much of zing. Next time I would reduce the barley yet again and maybe add some cayanne.

Have your salt and pepper shaker when you eat it. I did not add any salt or pepper to the soup when cooking it (well the partnering chef add 1 tspn of salt) just a couple of bay leaves. In addition, I had some dried chanterelle mushrooms I added. I'll make this again.

As the author says it gets better with age. I was disappointed the first night I made this, but when I had it the second day it was delicious!

This is by far, the best Mushroom Barley soup I have ever tasted. I used 2 lbs of Beef neck bones and 1 lb of ground beef. I made about 24 mini meatballs (which I browned) and browned the beef neck bones as well. Then proceeded to cook everything in 4 cups of beef broth and 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth, added 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 4 Bay Leaves (remove before serving) and increased onions to 3 medium onions, chopped. Oh and I used the baby bella mushrooms instead of the usual white mushrooms.

This was Awesome!!! Great flavor we did it in a crockpot it made the beef sooo tender. It was a great find!!

so so so good! definitely a favourite!

After reading other reviews I added the quick cooking barley with the mushrooms, a half cup of dry red wine, one tablespoon Worcester. It was a great stoop will make again. Wonderful meal on a rainy day.

My family loved this dish. Great, satisfying flavor. Definitely a keeper!

This was an amazing recipe and so easy to make. I had to adapt the recipe to what I had in the kitchen so I used a 1.5lb hanger steak and an ox tail instead of the 2lbs of stew meat. I also used a tbsp of lard instead of the vegetable oil. Delish! Definitely a new family staple.

Super easy to make. I added 1 cup of Phantom Wine for a bit more flavor.

I didn’t follow the directions exactly but still ended up with the best beef barley soup I’ve ever tasted! Browned the beef, sautéed whatever onion, carrot, and celery I had, a lot of garlic, and threw everything into an Instant Pot with fresh thyme, parsley, and bay leaf bouquet garni. Cooked for 30 minutes, removed the bouquet, added a ton of mushrooms (I used 8oz sliced cremini and 5oz sliced fresh shiitake) and cooked for 20 minutes more. Added some chopped fresh parsley to finish. Amazing.

I made this soup without the beef only because I didn’t want to go back to the store to buy beef. I also doubled the recipe with the vegetables and barley because I wanted it to be less “soupy”. It came out exactly like I wanted it!! I am freezing the soup in containers for my lunches at work.

I used the ends of a roast I had sliced up for sandwiches and didn’t have any carrots, but it turned out great!!

Followed the recipe as given plus added some celery & about 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce. Nice thick soup, very tasty.

Excellent! It was a little too thick, so I would add perhaps another cup of Beef Stock. I have leftovers in the refrigerator which may need more beef stock as well. This is delicious and I'll make it again. Maybe add more veggies.

I followed the recipe as stated and it turned out amazing. Perfect fall dish and the flavor was delish! I will definitely make this again.

Served on a cold day with crusty french bread and a glass of red wine - perfect!

Great recipe; instead of using mushrooms which I don't like in soup, I added tomatoes. I also cooked the barley separately before adding so the soup would not be so thick.

This was pretty good. I used one 32 oz container of beef broth and one 15 oz can as I only had a little over a 1 lb of short ribs which I used instead of stew meat. Much better flavor and texture IMHO. I would have given this a 3 and a half star rating if I could have as I found it too "beefy", if that makes any sense. I think that using just beef broth made it too heavy tasting for me. Next time (and there will be a next time) I'll try a container of chicken broth and a can of beef for a little lighter flavor.

Loved it. Very simple yet delicious.

Super good. Makes a lot of soup. Will make again. I didn't change anything.

This is the best soup that I have made. There is so much flavor. Yummmm

Yes, I will make it again and it was really good.

This recipe was a definite hit. Didn't change a single thing. Made it twice and will continue to do so. Thanks.

We loved this... even my Mom. My husband doesn't like celery, so I added more carrot. It did turn out like a stew, which we like a lot. Definitely will be making this over & over. I belong to SparkPeople to track nutrition & put the recipe in there. YUMMY!!!

Delicious soup, perfect for a winter day. I've served it to guests with the pot on the table, on a trivet, along with salad and garlic bread. I use pre cut stew meat but use poultry shears to cut off all fat and gristle. Since I don't use salt, I make my own beef broth by boiling the meat, which tenderizes it, too. For flavor, I use baby bella mushrooms, not white ones, and vidalia onions for sweetness. I make plenty and freeze it in individual plastic containers for quick meals. Yum!!

Delicious, hearty, rich soup. I made it exactly as written with the exception I added more of each vegetable. Huge hit!

This was an excellent base recipe from which to start. I like more seasoning in my cooking. I added Bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, and garlic.

Needs some salt. but Yummy.

its a keeper

I made this and added fresh spinach at the end, sooo yummy!

Even though I had no mushrooms on hand I gave it 5 stars! I did have some mushroom stock that I used with the beef stock. Very easy to make ..and you're right....tastes even better the next day.

I used high quality ribeye beef and added a can of tomatoes to amp this recipe up. It was delicious!

Delicious. My whole family enjoyed this (even my 6 year old). We had some left over and I served again the next day, at the begging of my kids, and it was even better after sitting for a day. This will be good to make again and freeze. Next time I make it, I will add any vegetable I think will go well in the soup (like green beans). This would work well with noodles if out of or wanting a beef noodle vegetable soup. One more ingredient I will try the next time I make this is adding a touch of red wine or a very small amount of sherry. Thank you for this recipe! It is great feeding the family a hearty, hot soup in the middle of winter. I am making this again.

I thought this turned out pretty good. I didn't have the beef stock, so I used beef bouillon instead.

Tastey alternative to my vegetable beef soup. Came out very thick and filling.

Fantastic. Luv this recipe. Added a little ditalini for the husband cuz he likes to fill up. Other then that. Tastes wonderful!!

Deeelish! I seasoned the stew to taste, but essentially followed the recipe as written. I will be keeping this in my favorites for sure!