Venison Barley Soup – A delicious spin on classic beef barley soup made with venison instead of beef! Made with classic ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, celery, and more with instructions for cooking the stew in a slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stovetop.

Venison Barley Soup

This year, I discovered the joys of cooking with barley.  The warm, nutty flavor has become a favorite of mine as I try to think up new and exciting ways to incorporate it into recipes.  One of my favorite ways to use it so far has been in venison barley soup.  This is a fun spin on classic beef barley soup but with venison instead of beef.  If you have some extra venison on hand from last season or are looking for recipes to make with venison in the coming weeks, then you have to give this recipe a go.  It is perfectly cozy and delicious!

Common Questions About Making Venison Barley Soup

What goes with venison barley soup?

There are so many great options for what to serve with venison barley soup but here are some of my favorite side dishes –

• Roasted Radishes
• Herb Quick Bread
• Melting Potatoes
• Skillet Cornbread
• Beer Bread
• Garlic Butter Carrots

What kind of barley is best for soup?

Pearl barley is the barley to use in this recipe.

Should barley be cooked before adding to soup?

If you want the barley to thicken the soup/stew up then you should refrain from cooking the barley before adding it to the soup.  If you want the soup to be more brothy, then you should cook it before adding it in.

Does barley thicken soup?

Yes, barley does a great job thickening soups and stews up.

What cut of venison is best for soup?

Generally, I go for rump or chuck but most cuts will work decently well as they really tenderize while cooking.

Is venison healthier than beef?

There isn’t a huge difference between the two but venison tends to be a bit leaner, higher in protein, and higher in iron (according to Taste of Home).

How long does venison barley soup last in the fridge?

Generally, 3-4 days is about as long as you want to keep venison barley soup in the fridge.  If you have leftovers that you want to save for longer, you can freeze it by transferring the cooled soup into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

Looking for other venison recipes?

• Venison Breakfast Sausage
• Venison Jerky
• Venison Stew
• Venison Chili

Venison Barley Soup

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Venison Barley Soup - A delicious spin on classic beef barley soup made with venison instead of beef! Made with classic ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, celery, and more with instructions for cooking the stew in a slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stovetop.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound venison
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (peeled and diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 2-3 carrots (sliced)
• 1 celery stalk (chopped)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup pearl barley

Instructions

Stovetop Instructions

1. In a medium pan, saute the venison,onion, and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until the venison has browned.
2. Transfer browned meat, onions, and garlic into a dutch oven. Add in beef broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, thyme, worchestershire sauce, bay leaf, pepper, and pearl barley. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer to cook for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
3. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Slow Cooker Instructions

1. In a medium pan, saute the venison, onion, and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until the venison has browned.
2. Transfer the browned meat, onions, and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add in beef broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, thyme, worchestershire sauce, bay leaf, pepper, and pearl barley. Set slow cooker to HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours.
3. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Using the SAUTE function on the Instant Pot, saute the venison, onion, and garlic in olive oil until the venison has browned.
2. Add in beef broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, thyme, worchestershire sauce, bay leaf, pepper, and pearl barley. Seal the Instant Pot and cook using HIGH pressure for 35 minutes and then allow for natural release.
3. Once the stew has finished cooking and the Instant pot has depressurized via natural release, remove the bay leaf.

Notes

You can use any of the three different instructions (stovetop, slow cooker, or instant pot) to make this recipe. Just follow the exact instructions under the heading of the method you would like to use and ignore the rest.