When cold weather hits, it’s nice to hunker down inside where it’s warm, with a hot bowl of soup. This recipe guides you through crafting a hearty, flavorful, and comforting mushroom barley soup with flanken. The dish features tender beef, earthy mushrooms, and hearty barley in a savory broth, perfect for a satisfying meal. Best of all, it makes a lot. You won’t have to cook for a few days!

Mushroom Barley Soup with Flanken

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 meaty short ribs (flanken), trimmed, approximately 2 1/2 lbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (more if needed)
• 6 dried mushrooms
• 1 pound fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2-3 medium)
• 1 cup chopped celery, including leaves (about 3-4 stalks)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 quarts chicken or beef stock
• 1 1/4 cups pearl barley
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Prepare the Flanken: Rinse the short ribs and pat them dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Score the underside of the ribs along the bone with a knife to help the meat absorb the cooking liquid.
2. Sear the Meat: In a large stockpot, heat the olive or grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Brown the short ribs on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, until nicely seared. Remove and set aside.
3. Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms: While the meat browns, place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 3 cups of hot water. Let them soak for 20 minutes.
4. Sauté the Fresh Mushrooms & Vegetables: Add half of the sliced white mushrooms to the stockpot and brown them over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining white mushrooms to the pan, browning them as well, adding more oil if necessary. Add the carrots, celery, and onion, cooking until the onion becomes translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant, then reduce heat to medium.
5. Infuse the Broth: Strain the water from the rehydrated dried mushrooms through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth (held in a mesh strainer) directly into the stockpot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the liquid heats. Give the softened dried mushrooms a quick rinse to remove any remaining residue, chop them, and add them to the pot.
6. Simmer the Soup: Add the chicken, beef, or mushroom stock, pearl barley, bay leaves, and seared short ribs to the stockpot. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook uncovered for 2 hours, or until the barley and short ribs are tender, and the soup has thickened. Add water during simmering if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste (approximately 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper).
7. Serve: Remove the short ribs from the soup and shred the meat. Mix the shredded meat back into the soup before serving, or serve the ribs whole on the bone, 1-2 per bowl.