-
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and dredge them in the flour, covering them in an even coat on all sides. Throw out any excess flour.
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium to medium high heat and brown the short ribs on both sides.
-
Transfer the browned ribs to a covered roasting pan or dutch oven.
-
Add the onions, garlic and 2 cups of the beef stock.
-
Slow cook at 300 degrees F for at least a couple of hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.
-
Remove the ribs from the pot, skim off any excess fat from the braising liquid and pour it into a 6 to 8 liter /quart pot.
-
Add the remaining 4 cups beef stock along with the pureed tomatoes, pepper, salt, sugar, thyme, smoked paprika and nutmeg. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
-
While the soup is simmering, remove all of the meat off of the short ribs by pulling it off in small pieces with a fork. Remove any excess fat, leaving only the tender meat behind.
-
After 20 minutes, add the beef to the soup pot along with the barley and carrots.
-
Simmer for another 20 minutes or so until the carrots and barley are cooked.
-
In the last 10 minutes of cooking time, taste the broth to determine if it needs any additional seasoning.
-
I prefer this soup a little on the thick side but if you prefer a thinner soup you can easily add another couple of cups of beef stock at any stage after the beef has cooked.