One-Pot Beef & Barley Soup (Freezer-Friendly January Comfort)

Grace
Jan 5
2 min read

Why we’re making this this week

January is made for simple, warming meals that stretch—especially when you’re stocking the freezer and planning ahead. This beef & barley soup is one pot, freezer-friendly, and flexible enough to work with what you already have on hand.

If you’re considering bulk beef, this is also a great example of how everyday cuts (stew meat, roasts, soup bones) turn into meals you’ll actually cook on repeat.

One-Pot Beef & Barley Soup (Freezer-Friendly)

Servings: 6–8

Time: 15 min prep + 75–90 min simmer (or slow cooker option below)

A bowl of hearty beef and barley soup with carrots and celery. A wooden spoon scoops some out. Rustic table setting with bread.

Ingredients

2 lbs BHMF Wagyu × Angus stew meat (or cube a chuck/arm roast)
2 tbsp cooking oil or tallow
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste (optional but great)
8 cups low-sodium beef broth (or 6 cups broth + 2 cups water)
¾ cup pearl barley (rinsed)
2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
1–2 bay leaves
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste (add at the end)
Optional: chopped parsley for serving

Beef Stew Meat

Buy Now

Beef Chuck Roast

Buy Now

Beef Arm Roast

Buy Now

Optional “bulk buyer upgrade”:

Add 1–2 meaty soup bones to the pot while simmering for deeper flavor. Pull them out at the end, remove any meat, and stir it back in.

Beef Soup Bones

Buy Now

Instructions (Stovetop)

Brown the beef: Pat beef dry. Heat oil/tallow in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches so it sears instead of steams (3–4 minutes per side). Remove to a plate.
Build the base: Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Tomato paste (optional): Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Simmer: Add broth, barley, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and the browned beef (plus any juices). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook until tender: Simmer 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender and beef is soft.
Finish: Remove bay leaves (and soup bones if used). Salt to taste. Serve hot.

Slow Cooker Option

Brown beef first (recommended), then add everything to the slow cooker.
Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4–5 hours on HIGH, until beef and barley are tender.

Bulk ordering tip: add these to your cut sheet

If you want meals like this on autopilot, consider requesting:

Stew meat (or extra roast cuts you can cube)
Soup bones (meaty bones are perfect for soups)
Ground beef (for fast chili/soup nights)

Bulk buyers get the cut sheet before harvest—so you can plan your “winter cooking” staples in advance.

Whole Beef (Custom Cut Deposit)

$1,000.00

Buy Now

Food safety (quick, reliable reference)

Fact: Whole cuts of beef (steaks/roasts/chops) are safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Verified by: FoodSafety.gov (U.S. government food safety chart) Citation: FoodSafety.gov

Fact: Ground meat and sausage are safe at 160°F.Verified by: FoodSafety.govCitation: FoodSafety.gov

Fact: Reheat leftovers to 165°F.Verified by: FoodSafety.govCitation: FoodSafety.gov

Storage & freezing