Quick Bison & Barley Soup21 February,2017Jan

About the Recipe

Quick-cooking barley and bison sirloin help get soup  on the table quickly. Need more? It doubles easily. If the soup gets too thick in the fridge, add a little broth when you reheat it. Serve with crusty bread.

4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each | Active time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Bison barley soup in a bowl

Ingredients

  • 8 oz bison sirloin, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 large stalk celery, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chipped, fresh thyme
  • 3/4 cup quick-cooking barley
  • 4 cups bison or reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. To the Dutch oven, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion and celery, and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring for 2 minutes more. Add tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with the tomato paste and are beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add barley, broth, water, salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the bison and any accumulated juice to the pot and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vinegar to taste.

Tip

Boil bison soup bones and use the meat in place of sirloin and the broth in the recipe.