Beef Barley Soup

This was my first soup.

Ever.
After receiving a cast iron Dutch oven as a wedding gift (which, by the way, I had no idea I even needed till I asked some experienced cooks) I was on the hunt for a good winter soup-- you know, something that I could cook on a Sunday while I was busy with homework and household chores. Cooking Light had a recipe that sounded most like what I wanted, but I added some more liquid to get a good, brothy soup instead of a stew. Also, since I'm too cheap to spend money on stew meat, I used center cut beef shanks, trimming beforehand and cutting into bite-sized pieces towards the end.
Honestly, I cannot tell you how excited I was to have this turn out so great on the first try! My husband had never tried beef barley soup before, so it was important to me that this one made a good impression. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:

2 Beef Shanks (about 2 lbs. total)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium leeks)

2 cups chopped carrot

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 bay leaves

2 32oz. cartons beef broth

1 cup uncooked pearl barley


Heat a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the oil.
While the oil is warming, trim any fat from the beef shanks. After trimming, brown the shanks on both sides. Remove from the pan.
Add the leeks, carrots, and garlic and saute till lightly browned. (You may need to add a little extra oil) Return the shanks to the pan, along with the water, salt, thyme, pepper, bay leaves, and beef broth.
Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat begins to fall from the bone.
When meat is cooked through, remove from pan and cut into bite-sized pieces. Replace meat into the pan. Add barley, and simmer for 30-40 minutes (or till the barley is tender).
Remove bay leaves, serve, and enjoy!

Verdict: KeeperDirections: