Barley is the oldest domesticated grain in the world//mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/4/499 , and beef is likewise one of the oldest foodswww.mazzaroth.com/ChapterOne/LascauxCave.htm . So it's only natural to marry them in one of the oldest forms of food: soup. When the Campbell Company began making canned soup, it was one of the first varieties. Beef Barley Soup can be made quickly, or cooked up to a couple of days to more fully develop its flavor and thickness.//chowhound.chow.com/topics/442142 The barley, because it is a grain, acts as a thickening agent so that even if no other thickener is added, the soup won't be brothy.

You can make beef and barley soup from leftover beef to make a quick soup. Or if you like, you can start from scratch, roasting beef bones and making broth, and simmering it for hours or days. The flavors will meld the longer it is simmered, and the barley will become softer the longer it is cooked.

You'll also get different results based on what kind of barley you use. Quick-cooking barley only requires 15 minutes of cooking time and is perfect for when you're using leftover beef and vegetables to make your soup. Pearl barley takes about 45 minutes, and works well for a slightly longer-cooking soup. If you intend to do the kind that simmers overnight, then hulled barely would be a good choice.//homecooking.about.com/cs/vegetables/a/barley.htm

Your broth choice also makes a difference in how your soup will taste. Some people make beef broth themselves, which gives a lot of control over the flavor. You can also buy broth, or deepen the flavor with purchased or homemade demi-glace (broth that has been cooked down so that it's condensed and thick).//chowhound.chow.com/topics/676497

In this Mahalo How To, you will learn to make beef barley soup from scratch.

The Stock:

about 4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones 1 calves foot, cut into pieces (optional) 3 pounds meaty rib or neck boneswww.westonaprice.org/Broth-is-Beautiful.html 4 or more quarts cold filtered water 1/2 cup vinegar 3 onions, coarsely chopped 3 carrots, coarsely chopped 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together 1 bouquet Garni 3 bay leavesthyme2.typepad.com/thyme_for_cooking_/2009/01/beef-barley-soup-gaining-repect.html

The Soup//culinaryarts.about.com/od/clearsoups/r/beefbarleysoup.htm 1½ lbs beef chuck 1 large onion, peeled 2 large celery stalks 3 medium carrots, peeled 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2-3 dried bay leaves 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp marjoram//thyme2.typepad.com/thyme_for_cooking_/2009/01/beef-barley-soup-gaining-repect.html 1 tbs olive oil 1 cup canned diced tomatoes 2 qts beef stock ½ cup red wine (optional) 1 cup uncooked barley Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Using a large stock pot, place the knuckle and marrow bones, and calf's foot, if using, in water to cover and add the vinegar. Let this soak at least 6 hours; ideally over night. This helps pull minerals, gelatin and flavor from the bones.www.westonaprice.org/Broth-is-Beautiful.html

While these bones are soaking, put the rib and neck bones in a roasting pan in the oven and roast them at 350 degrees until they are well browned. When they've reached this stage, and the other bones have soaked as long as you want them to, put them the pot, along with the vegetables. Pour a little cold water into the roasting pan and put it on the burner and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the deglazing liquid to the pot as well. Add any water needed to completely cover the bones, and bring to a boil. Scum will float to the surface; skim this off and then turn down the pot to a simmer. Add the spices and then cover. Simmer for at least 12 and up to 72 hours.

What you have at this point won't look pretty until after you remove the bones with tongs or a slotted spoon, and then strain. It does, however, make more than needed for beef barely soup, so you can make this recipe or others several times without having to repeat this step again.

Alternately, you can buy pre-made beef stock.

You're going to braise the beef for this soup, which will result in more tender beef in the soup.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Roughly chop the onion and celery into similar-sized pieces, about 1/2" to an inch square, or larger if you like it chunky. Cut the carrots in half and then slice them so you end up with half moons.culinaryarts.about.com/od/clearsoups/r/beefbarleysoup.htm

Slice the meat so that it does not sliver (against the grain) into slices and then strips. Salt it well with the kosher salt.

In a large, heavy stock or soup pot with a lid, brown the beef well in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Make sure to get the beef browned on each side. Remove beef from pot.

Add vegetables to pot and brown them in the juices and oil left from the pot. Be careful; because vegetables have more sugar than meat they'll go from browned to burned very quickly. The carrots in particular are difficult to see the early browning on, so when they look slightly brown, you're done with this step.

While the pot is still very hot, add the wine (or substitute stock for wine) to the pot and stir to loosen the "fond"--the savory browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Now add the tomatoes, spices, and beef. Then add the stock and stir well. If the solids in the pot are not completely covered, add water or more stock until they are.

Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to a simmer.

At this point, if your pan is ovenproof, you can place it in the oven. If it's not, then keep it on a very low simmer on the stove.

Let the soup simmer, without lifting the lid, for four hours.

You can prepare the soup to this point in one day, if you wish, and then refrigerate it overnight to finish the following day.culinaryarts.about.com/od/clearsoups/r/beefbarleysoup.htm

Add the barley to the soup and let it simmer for another hour. Season with freshly-cracked pepper and Kosher salt and serve.