Beef Shank & Barley Soup

Submitted by Chef PotPie

"This soup is good on a cold winter night! This recipe came from Good Housekeeping, 1986."

 

• Ready In: 24hrs 40mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 3 beef shank, cross cuts 1 inch thick (2 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 5 large carrots, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 5 celery ribs, bite-sized
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3⁄4 lb small mushroom
• 3⁄4 cup barley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture

directions

1. In 8 quart Dutch oven in hot oil, brown beef shanks on both sides. Remove to a plate.
2. In pan drippings, cook carrots, celery, onions and mushrooms until lightly browned.
3. Cut meat from bones into bite-sized pieces and return meat AND bones to Dutch oven.
4. Add barley, salt, oregano, pepper, bouillon cubes, and 11 cups of water.
5. Heat to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours until beef and barley are tender.
6. Discard bones, skim fat from liquid.
7. Add spinach to pot, bring back to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Reviews

[Torachef 1997]

I found myself with beef shanks in the freezer (after purchasing a quarter beef several months ago) - had mushrooms from a big sale - and found this recipe! It is a hearty soup, but pretty healthy in content and with a very mild flavor. I think some will find it lacking in seasoning, so you may wish to adjust - we prefer un-spicy things, so it was fine for us. Do NOT skip the step of skimming the fat off - the shanks generate a lot of fat and it must be removed. I did that at the second serving (brain cramp the first time) and lost some veggies and spinach when skimming late. I will make this one again.