How to Make Bubba' Beef Barly Soup

Back in the days when I was running the Family Restaurant our biggest volume item was soup. I presume it was because we offered 6-8 types of soup daily. Most of the recipes were expanded versions of Mom's home cooking or something she had adjusted from a magazine article. They were all rustic hearty soups none of this fu fu stuff that is popular in some upscale restaurants. One of our biggest sellers was the Beef Barley. It is so thick you want to eat it with a fork but won't for fear of missing a drop of that precious broth. Most folks presumed we used the leftover Prime Rib or steak meat. That was an illusion. The leftover prime Rib or Steak Meat went to Beef and noodles or Beef Stroganoff served at lunch. It has taken me 15 years to reduce this recipe to a Family Sized dish from it's former 10 gallon size. Because of the type meat I use I put it all in the crock pot for an all day simmer.

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Bubba's Beef Barley Soup

3 pounds of meat cut in 1' cubes (old beef roast, shank meat, stew meat)

1 Softball sized onion diced

1 Cup celery diced

2 carrots grated

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

8 bullion cubes

¼ cup Worcester sauce

½ cup sugar

water (Chateau de Spigot)

1 pound Pearl Barley

1 Tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet

Directions:

Save all the fancy methods for the chefs. Us cooks do it simple and easy. Into your crock pot put in this order bullion cubes, Worcester sauce, garlic powder, onions, celery, carrot, beef, sugar, and water to cover by 1". Turn in high for one hour and reduce heat to low for 5 hours or more. I have had it on over 12 hours with no ill affects. About 1 hour before serving time return temp to High and add Pearly Barley and Kitchen Bouquet.

Note: Instant barley will work but the cooking time is less and the texture is a bit mushy. I would serve with this soup a large ice cold green salad, some crusty bread, and a mug of strong rich Columbian Coffee.

My buddy Kasey tells me he takes this to Tailgate in November, when the weather is cooler.