Description
Ina Garten crafts hearty beef and barley soup with rich, comforting flavors from simple ingredients. Warm bowls promise deep satisfaction and nourishment for hungry families seeking classic culinary comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (907 g) beef oxtails
- 2 cups (480 ml) chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks, thoroughly washed)
- 2 cups (240 g) (½-inch) diced carrots (4 carrots)
- 1 cup (160 g) chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup (120 g) (½-inch) diced celery (2 stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 cups (2.4 L) canned beef broth
- 1 cup (200 g) pearled barley
- 1 tbsp good olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Searing: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season oxtails with salt and pepper, then sear until golden-brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove browned meat and set aside.
- Vegetable Foundation: In the same pot, sauté leeks, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic over medium heat until softened and lightly caramelized, approximately 10 minutes.
- Flavor Infusion: Tie thyme sprigs with kitchen twine and add to the pot with bay leaves. Return oxtails to the vegetable base, pour in broth, and season. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 60 minutes to develop rich flavors.
- Barley Preparation: In a separate pot, boil water and cook barley uncovered for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Final Assembly: Remove herb bundle and bay leaves from the soup. Skim excess fat from the surface. Fold in cooked barley and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot, optionally including oxtail pieces for added richness.
Notes
- Meat Selection: Choose high-quality, fresh oxtails with visible marbling for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- Searing Technique: Develop a deep golden-brown crust on oxtails by avoiding overcrowding the pot and maintaining high heat.
- Vegetable Preparation: Finely dice vegetables to ensure even cooking and balanced texture throughout the soup.
- Herb Infusion: Use fresh thyme sprigs and tie them securely to easily remove after slow cooking, preventing herb fragments in the final dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg