Name: Beef Barley Soup with Bone Marrow
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients: One (2–3 pound) marrow bone, cracked to expose marrow; 2 pounds chuck beef, cubed into 1-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 to 2½ quarts water or beef stock; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; 1½ teaspoons sugar; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley; ¼ cup uncooked barley; 1 cup finely diced carrots (about 2 medium); ¼ cup finely chopped onions; ¼ cup finely chopped celery; 2 cups petite diced canned tomatoes, drained or 2 cups blanched skinless tomatoes; 1 cup frozen peas, thawed; 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon or red potato; 1 cup finely chopped green cabbage; Additional salt and pepper to taste

Mains

Beef Barley Soup with Bone Marrow

Author: Mary DiSomma

We Midwesterners have gotten pretty good at making hearty and heartwarming comfort food—such as this robust and satisfying vegetable and grain soup that’s packed with vegetables and fortified with bone broth—to get us through those months when we’re waiting for spring to break. Adding a cracked marrow beef bone during the simmering process makes this cold-weather soup extra delicious. Bone marrow is also rich in nutrients; along with small amounts of protein and important vitamins like B12 and riboflavin, it also contains a good amount of collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, and is thought to help promote healthy skin and reduce joint pain; it may even assist in boosting your immune system. In fact, my daughter is such a fan of this aspect of the soup that I always save her a marrow bone or two to enjoy along with it. You can often purchase marrow bones already cracked; alternatively, if you have a friendly butcher, ask them to crack the bones for you.