Short Rib and Barley Soup

Your going to want a fresh baked loaf of french bread or a grilled cheese to soak up every bit of this savory and sophisticated version of the classic vegetable beef soup.

Ingredients:

• 4 beef short ribs

• 1lb stew meat

• sliced baby bella mushrooms

• 1 green bell pepper (diced)

• 1 Vidalia onion (diced)

• 5 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 cup diced carrot

• 14oz. can diced tomatoes

• 8oz. can corn

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 16oz. beef bone broth

• 32oz. beef stock

• 1/2 cup dried pearl barley

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1/2 tablespoon adobo seasoning

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a large soup pot on medium high heat and add olive oil. Sear the short ribs on all sides first then remove and set aside in a bowl or plate with a rim (to catch any drippings). Sear the stew meat, remove and set aside with the short ribs. Add the mushrooms and salt them, saute for a few minutes until most of the water has cooked out. Then add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Season with adobo, oregano, salt and pepper and saute until partially cooked and fragrant. Pour the red wine in and scrape all the goodies off the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon while the alcohol is evaporating, then add tomatoes and corn. Add the celery, carrots, and pour in the bone broth and soy sauce, stir thoroughly. Add the meat back to the pot (with all its juices) and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and cover with lid, simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the short ribs when the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Add the beef stock and turn the heat back to medium high. When soup come to a boil, add the barley, cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until barley is cooked. While the barley is cooking in the soup, de-bone the short ribs and cut or shred into bite size pieces, removing any extra fat that hasn’t dissolved, then add it back to the soup. Remove pot from heat and stir thoroughly, taste test for salt and pepper, and your ready to serve!

CAUTION: SOUP IS HOT AND DELICIOUS!

Cook Time: 4-5 hours, makes 8-10 servings.