New FAVORITES entry

While searching for recipes for Gamjatang (potato and pork stew), I stumbled upon another food website with images that tingle your taste buds. Not just any food, Korean food! Oh, why couldn't I have been raised in a Korean household. And how on earth do these people take such great photos! This recipe is quite involved and for $15, I think I'd rather go eat it at a Korean restaurant.

My Korean Kitchen Blog

Super Easy Beef Barley Soup (for you Grandma Thomas)

You all know how much of a soup fanatic I am. Normally I refrain from making beef soups because they take so long and the beef gets dry. I hate standing around the stove for hours. This was the easiest thing I ever did! Cook the beef in a crockpot first.

Ingredients:

• 3lbs of beef chuck cubed (the kind you use for pot roast)
• 1 beef shank or 3 ox tails (can omit if it's not available, but personally I just like eating ox tail)
• 2 onions diced
• celery
• 6 carrots
• 1 pkg white mushrooms
• 3/4 cup of pearl barley
• butter, garlic, pepper, salt to taste

1. Soak the barley in water for a few hours. Change the water a few times. This way the barley doesn't make your broth "cloudy" or suck up all your broth.

2. Put the onions and beef into a crock pot. I found that this really releases the beef "juice" and makes the meat really tender. Takes 4 hours, but you can set it and forget it so it's actually more convenient to make soup for those who hate waiting around!

3. When the beef is cooked, let it cool. In a stock pot, cook the mushrooms, carrots and celery in butter.

4. When it's translucent, slowly add hot water and allow the ingredients to blend together and bring back up to a boil.

5. Then add the beef/onion/soupy mixture from the crockpot. Add some more water and season to taste. Cook for another half hour to an hour.

Bon Appetit!