Leftover Maven: Beef Barley Soup

Oh my, the smell of beef, onions, tomatoes, and thyme coming from this soup is intoxicating.

I had some leftover beef pot roast that I had cooked in the slow cooker with 1/2 can of fire roasted tomatoes, one onion I had caramelized until it was golden brown, a couple glugs of cabernet sauvignon, and 1 can of beef broth. It cooked on high for 5-6 hours until the beef was tender, and we enjoyed it with rice and roasted brussel sprouts.

Since I had a couple cups of leftover "pot liquor" and a few slices of beef, I decided to make some beef barley soup.

Soup is so easy. All you need is some stock, some diced veggies, and a little meat and/or starch (barley, pasta, rice, etc.) if you're so inclined. You don't need to measure with precision -- just add as much or as little as you like of the ingredients, and cut the veggies in big, rustic pieces, or in a petite dice.

In this case, I cut the beef in smaller pieces and poured the "pot liquor" and the beef into a pot. I added some more beef broth, the rest of the can of fire-roasted tomatoes, a couple spoonfuls of tomato paste, and big-dice carrots, celery, and potatoes. Fresh thyme and oregano, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of rinsed barley to finish it off. Cooked until the veggies and barley were tender. Added fresh cut parsley for a burst of color and fresh flavor. Done.

The smell is so good that you almost don't even have to eat the soup to be fulfilled.

Well, almost.

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