Instant pot beef barley soup

Step by Step

Step 1

On Instant Pot, press Saute and wait until display says Hot.

Step 2

Add half oil and half beef cubes, cook until browned. For more seared meat, drain liquid from the pot sometime in the middle. Transfer browned beef to the plate and repeat with remaining beef and oil, also now is a good time to add thyme. I save liquid to add to soup later. Press Cancel.

Step 3

Add broth, half of browned beef back, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, barley, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Step 4

Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes.

Step 5

After allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes to avoid splattering. Then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure. Or you can let pressure subside on its own which will take about 40 minutes depending on the size of your Instant Pot – Natural Release.

Step 6

Open, add parsley and stir soup. Serve hot.

Tips and Warnings

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container or inner Instant Pot pot with a fitting glass lid for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
Stewing beef: I usually cut store-bought stew meat even into smaller 1-inch cubes.
Instant Pot doesn’t brown well: I have tested Saute in 3 different sizes and models and neither does really brown the meat. 5 minutes per each half of beef is good enough for flavor.
3 heat settings for Saute: Many people do not know but you can select how hot Saute gets. Press Saute, then press Adjust to select between Less, Normal and More. For hottest setting we want More.
3 quart Instant Pot: Cut ingredients in half and keep same cooking time.
6, 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot: Use recipe as written. I bet you could double it in 10 quart.
Pearl vs. hulled barley: Pearl barley is essentially like white flour. Where as, hulled barley is minimally processed, removing only the inedible outer shell. It is a whole grain.