Pressure Cooker Beef Barley Soup

If you’ve never cooked with a pressure cooker, check here for some helpful tips

Beef Shanks, 2-2 1/2 lbs
1 Large Onion cut in half
1 Lb Carrots
2 Large Celery Stalks
1 Quart Beef Stock
2 Cups Water
2/3 Cup Barley (6 Oz.)
4-5 Stalks of Celery from center of celery, with leaves
8 Oz. White Mushrooms
Salt and Pepper
Oil

Take 1/2 onion and cut into 4 large pieces
Take 4 carrots and wash, but do not peel, if large cut or break in half
Take the 2 large celery stalks and cut or break in half
Set all these aside

Heat Pressure cooker on high heat at add about 1 TBL oil
Liberally season shanks with salt and pepper
Reduce heat to medium-high, and brown shanks on both sides (I had 2 large shank pieces so I had to brown them one at a time)
Once all meat is browned put it all back into pot, add the large cut vegetables to cooker, add stock, water and barley stir well, and secure lid
Turn heat to high and once pressure has been reached, reduce heat to maintain even pressure and cook for 15 minutes

While soup is cooking take remaining half onion and dice
Cut carrots into dice if they are large, or diagonal rounds if they are small (this is really a matter of preference, cut them however you like your carrots in soup)
Cut celery into 1/2″ slices, and include the leaves
Slice mushrooms
Put all vegetables together to add to soup

After 15 minutes remove pressure cooker from heat, and reduce pressure by running cold water over pot until pressure reduces enough to open pot
Remove carrots and celery (you probably won’t be able to remove onion as it will have effectively ‘melted’
Remove meat
Taste soup for seasoning
Add diced vegetables and put cooker back on heat and secure lid, bring to pressure again and cook for an additional 3 minutes
Meanwhile shred meat using two forks, pulling away the fatty membrane that encircles the shank
The pieces of marrow are ‘Cook’s Treat’ so remove them from the bones and set aside to cool a bit
When the 3 minutes are up, reduce pressure as before, open pot and return meat to soup
Eat the marrow (you’re welcome)