Bündner Barley Soup — Creamy Like the Ski Hut's, in One Pot
Fry the bacon and onions, add the barley and root vegetables, pour in the stock and simmer gently for 60 minutes. The barley's starch makes it creamy — no need to stir, but finish with a splash of cream. It is even better on day two.
Barley soup is on the menu of every ski hut in Graubünden, and at home it is simpler than it looks: everything into one pot, simmer for an hour, done. It needs time, not attention. And it is one of the few dishes that is as good frozen as fresh — the ideal candidate for a batch-cooking day.
Ingredients
- 150 g Pearl barley
- 100 g Diced bacon
- 80 g Bündnerfleisch (in strips)
- 1 piece Onion
- 2 pieces Carrots
- 1 piece Leek
- 100 g Celeriac
- 1 piece Potato
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1½ l Beef stock
- 1 piece Bay leaf
- 1 dl Double cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ bunch Parsley
Method
- 1
Prepare the vegetables
Dice the onion, carrots, celeriac and potato small, slice the leek into thin rings. Keep everything about the same size so it softens at the same time.
- 2
Fry the bacon
Melt the butter in a large pot, fry the bacon for 3 minutes until lightly crisp. Add the onion and soften until translucent.
- 3
Barley and vegetables
Add the barley, vegetables and half the Bündnerfleisch and sweat for 2 minutes until the barley glistens slightly.
- 4
Simmer
Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf, bring to the boil and simmer covered for 60 minutes. Stir occasionally so the barley does not catch on the bottom. The soup thickens by itself.
- 5
Finish
Remove the bay leaf, stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper — the bacon and Bündnerfleisch are already salty, so taste first. Serve topped with the remaining Bündnerfleisch and parsley.
Tips
- The soup thickens a lot as it stands. When reheating, simply thin it with a little stock or water until it is the right consistency again.
- Cook a double batch and freeze in portions — it keeps three months and is on the table in 10 minutes on a cold evening.
- For a true hut soup, cook a piece of smoked bacon or a Salsiz sausage in it and chop it up at the end.
What can I substitute?
Both bring the smokiness. Bündnerfleisch is expensive — cured ham costs a third and tastes close.
The vegetarian route, with vegetable stock and no Bündnerfleisch. Smoked paprika replaces the bacon flavour surprisingly well.
The barley makes the soup creamy even without it. The cream just makes it rounder and milder.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
How does barley soup become creamy?
Through the starch the pearl barley releases as it cooks — it needs at least 60 minutes for that. For a shortcut, blend a ladle of soup at the end and stir it back in. Cream adds extra body.
Do I need to soak the barley first?
No. Pearl barley is hulled and softens in an hour. Soaking cuts the cooking time to about 40 minutes but is not necessary.
Can I freeze barley soup?
Yes, it is one of the best soups for it. Freeze without the cream, in portions, for up to three months. Thin when reheating and add the cream fresh.
Where do I get pearl barley?
At Migros and Coop on the shelf with rice and pulses, usually labelled 'Rollgerste' or hulled barley. 500 g costs about 2 CHF and makes three batches.
How much does Bündner barley soup cost per person?
About 3 CHF per person with Bündnerfleisch, under 2 CHF with cured ham. As a main with bread it is one of the cheapest Swiss dishes there is.
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