This old fashioned Beef & Barley Soup begins with a couple of good beef bones. My source of marrow bones with lots of meat attached is Hatt's Quality Meats on Milford Street in Milton, just upriver from Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The pressure cooker speeds up the soup making process. It also cooks the barley in half the regular time.
Here's how I made the soup pictured above:Beef & Barley Soup
2 meaty soup bones
2 meaty soup bones
6 cups cold water
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup fresh celery leaves
1 scrubbed carrot, sliced
1 peeled onion, sliced
1 1/3 teaspoons salt
Cut the meat from the bones and then cut into bite-size cubes; brown it in beef drippings directly in a pressure cooker. Add bones to meat. Add water, peppercorns, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, celery leaves, onion and salt. Close the cooker and bring slowly to 15 pounds pressure. Process 30 minutes. Allow pressure to drop before opening. Transfer to a large pot.
Remove the bones.
Clean the pressure cooker then add four cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of barley and boil, uncovered for 2 minutes. Cover and bring to 15 pounds pressure. Process 30 minutes.
Allow pressure to drop before opening. Add barley to the meat and broth.
Other vegetables: Add whatever types and amounts of cooked vegetables that you wish to the soup. If adding frozen peas or corn, there is no need to cook them first.
