Beef barley soup

 We had a stretch over the winter where I wanted to stock the freezer with soup, just in case of sickness or a night of "I don't want to cook anything tonight" and we still needed dinner.

Adapted from Kenji Lopez-Alt, The Food Lab

2 lbs boneless beef short ribs cut into 1/2-3/4 inch chunks

kosher salt and black pepper

1 tbs vegetable oil

2 medium carrots (about 1/2 cup) carrots split and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 stalks of celery (about 1 cup) celery split and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion ( about 1 1/2 cups) finely diced onion 

1 tsp soy sauce

2 medium cloves of garlic, shaved with a microplane

1 tbs tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth 

14 1/2 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup pearled barley

2 bay leaves

Combine the shorts ribs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven, heat the oil until almost smoking

Add the beef in one layer and cook about 5 minutes on one side without moving then cook on the other sides for another 10 minutes

Remove the meat to a bowl 

Over medium high heat, add the carrots, onion, and celery and cook until they begin to brown

Add the soy sauce, garlic, and tomato paste and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant

Add the stock and scrape up any browned bits

Add the tomatoes, barley, bay leaves, beef, and any juices back to the pot

Increase heat to high and bring to a boil

Reduce heat the as low as possible cover and cook until the beef and barely is tender, about 2 hours *

Season with salt and pepper, it's better the night after though too

*this doesn't seem like enough broth so keep an eye on it.  I will report back later.