Ali Slagle of the NYT was inspired to create this low effort-maximum reward soup by the beef, leek and barley soup in Home Cooking, the memoir and cook book by Laurie Colwin. No browning of the meat; just toss everything in the pot or slow cooker and forget about it. At least until the delicious aroma filters through the house. I was curious about Laurie’s recipe so pulled her book off my shelf and saw hers was even simpler than Ali’s. Hard to go wrong with these two wonderful cooks.
I’ve always been told that browning meat was essential for a deep flavor, but no less than world famous chef Jamie Oliver said that he skips that step when making his wife’s favorite beef stew; as he discovered the meat tasted better without searing it.
The depth of flavor here comes from the addition of dried porcini mushrooms, which adds an element of umami. Ali recommends chicken stock rather than beef, which she finds more flavorful in purchased stock. And a long slow cooking builds the richness without any effort on your part.
I had a large chuck roast, so almost doubled the rest of the ingredients. I did deviate by adding wine and tomato paste, as I’ve had success in the past with those two additions to soups and stews. Don’t skip adding the vinegar at the end; I ended up adding quite a bit more actually. It was too late in the day to use a slow cooker, so I cooked this in a large Le Cruset at 325 degrees for about 2 hours with the lid cracked a bit. Tossed in some sliced fresh mushrooms for the last half hour.
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 to 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (3 to 4)
1 quart chicken stock
3 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup pearl barley (or more)
2 fresh thyme leaves or 2 dried bay leaves
1/2 ounce dried porcini, crushed or chopped into small pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, plus more as needed.
1/4 cup tomato paste and 1/2 cup wine, optional
In a 5-8 quart slow cooker, add the beef, stock, carrots, onion, barley, thyme, porcini, 2 tsp. salt,( Diamond Crystal) 1 tsp black pepper and 2 cups water. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low until the meat shreds when pulled with 2 forks, 6 to 8 hours.
If your soup has fat on the surface, skim it with a spoon. ( The amount will vary, depending on your cut of meat.) Remove and discard the thyme. If using chuck, shred the meat using two forks right in the pot; if using short ribs, transfer to a cutting board and pull the meat away from the bone. Remove any excess fat and cartilage, then chop and shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in the vinegar. If the flavors are muted, add salt and vinegar. If its too mild, add black pepper.
Tip: Bone-in short ribs can be pricey but will create a richer broth than chuck, although it will result in less meat in the bowls. Serves 6 to 8.
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