Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch steaks, or 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, ribs removed and reserved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 quarts homemade or store-bought chicken stock
• Sachet of 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and about 5 whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup pearled barley
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce, optional
• Minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Warm the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the beef, in batches if your pot is crowded, and brown it deeply, turning now and then so every side gets color, about 5 minutes per side. Move the beef to a large platter.
2. Put the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic into the pot. Cook, stirring and loosening the browned bits stuck to the bottom, until the vegetables pick up a little color, about 6 minutes. Spoon the vegetables into a heatproof bowl and keep them aside. Pour the stock into the pot, place it back over the heat, and scrape the bottom again so all that flavor joins the broth.
3. While the stock heats, cut the beef into chunks, then add it to the pot with the reserved bones, if using, and the herb sachet. Bring the liquid to a simmer, lower the heat so it stays at a gentle simmer, and cook until the beef is tender, 1 to 2 hours. Skim off any foam that collects on top as it cooks.
4. Remove and discard the bones and herb sachet. Stir in the barley, the reserved vegetables, and the fish sauce, if using. Keep simmering until the barley is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the soup has thickened more than you like, add water until it reaches the consistency you want. Serve with parsley scattered over the top.