- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 7 1/2 cups beef stock
- 8 ounces pearl barley
- 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
- Cook beef stew meat in a large skillet over medium heat until completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a large soup pot.
- Heat vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in the hot oil until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the beef in the pot.
- Pour beef stock into the pot.
- Stir pearl barley into the stock.
- Place soup over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is completely tender, about 2 hours.
- Stir mushrooms through the soup; cook 1 hour more.