Reviewed: Jan. 9, 2011

I was dissapointed with the recipe. I guess I'm not a big fan of that much dill. If I try it again it will be without it. I also used fresh mushrooms and pre-cut stew meat and put in a crockpot for the day. The meat was tender.

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Reviewer:

Jen Wolpert

Reviewed: Dec. 13, 2010

This was not a hit in my family. Nobody wanted seconds and I ended up freezing the leftovers. I will have to try a different beef barley soup recipe.

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Reviewer:

Ronda

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Nevada City, California, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2010

Very tasty! Just the thing for a cold Midwestern night! The next time I make it I will follow the suggestion of some of the other reviewers and use fresh rather than dried mushrooms and I'll also increase the amount of barley, 'cause I just love it in soup. Might toss a leek or two in next time too. But otherwise I thought it was great. I was worried that the spare seasonings would make for a very bland soup, but the richness added by the long cooking time - and I kept the pot simmering for 6 hours - compensated. Thanks!

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Reviewer:

Donna

Reviewed: Nov. 23, 2010

The whole family asked for seconds! Very good! I didn't have time to soak my barley, and when the meat was done the soup was thick, like oatmeal. So, I added some extra broth. You may want to have some extra broth on hand, also. I used 8 oz of fresh mushrooms - could have used a bit more.

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Reviewer:

HappyInTheKitchen

Reviewed: Oct. 27, 2010

The guys loved this rich hearty soup and my husband's friends even (a first!) asked for the recipe. I used already cut up stew meat instead of chuck roast, fresh mushrooms instead of dried, and farro (much like barley) instead of barley. I made the substitutions because that's what I had on hand - I was looking for a recipe to use the mushrooms and beef I already had. Glad I found this :) I boiled the stew meat and skimmed off the foam as directed. After skimming, I added the farro (barley) and cooked it with the beef (no pre-soaking) at a slow boil for about 20 minutes until al dente. I then added the quartered mushrooms and seasonings to the pot and reduced to a simmer. I cooked until the meat was very tender in about 2 1/2 hrs. It was very filling with some nice rustic crusty bread. Also ridiculously easy using meat already cut up and quick cooking barley. I only needed to chop the mushrooms and herbs and cooked everything in one pot so cleanup was a snap too. A winner at my house!

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Reviewer:

Terri Michelle

Reviewed: Oct. 8, 2010

I used fresh Portobello mushrooms and diced leeks and it turned out thick, beefy and delicious.

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Reviewer:

the1kengray

Reviewed: Jun. 2, 2010

I found some chinese dried mushrooms, and I wish I had used regular, fresh , white mushrooms. They were all Icould find in the way of dried mushrooms. I did not care for their smell or taste.

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Reviewer:

Julia Kent

Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2009

This was the best! I love barley and found quick cooking barley. I used stew meat that I cut into smaller pieces. Also, had fresh mushrooms YUMMIE. My husband ate 4 bowls in one sitting---and he's not ususally a "soup guy". My new favorite soup!!

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Reviewer:

DensHag

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: San Diego, California, USA

Reviewed: Jan. 4, 2009

I made some changes-I cooked stew meat in the crock pot with a package of brown gravy mix and 2 cups of water. Once that was about done, I cooked quick barley (1cup) according to the package directions. I put the barley, parsley, salt, etc all in the crock pot with the meat to finish for about an hour.

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