Venison Barley Soup is great to throw in the crockpot when you are cutting up your deer. It’s a delicious way to use up tough cuts of meat, like the legs.
Ask your processor, or butcher, to save you some of the back leg bones, cut into lengths small enough to fit in your crockpot or Dutch oven. If you are processing your own deer, use a hacksaw to cut the bones, if needed.
I have mentioned previously that I love to use underutilized or neglected ingredients to make delicious meals! It is really quite satisfying to take a few bones that would end up out back for coyote food and make a delicious, nutritious, low cost, meal for my family! 
Yes. You could just as well use this recipe for beef bones too! If you go to your local butcher, they will happily sell you beef bones, and they will be very low cost! The advantage to using venison is that venison has a fraction of the fat and calories, as opposed to beef.
This soup is totally customizable, as well! Don’t like barley? Then use potatoes to make Venison Vegetable Soup or noodles, to make Venison Noodle Soup! They all taste delicious and cost next to nothing to make!
As you can see, most of the time required for this recipe is the crockpot’s or the Dutch oven’s duty, not yours, which means you can get other things done! Or just relax, perhaps!
Want more venison recipes?
This Venison Sausage Recipe is my most popular recipe for the fall! It is made with all of those cuts of meat that are not suitable for stews or roasts.
Or check out my Venison Stew recipe. This is again, a crockpot dish, so it is very little hands on time! Use the stock that you made for this Venison Soup in this stew.
Or my Venison Burgers recipe which can be made all year long! They are not just good in the fall and winter. They utilize those parts of the venison that are not sufficient for roasts.
Looking ahead to St. Patrick’s Day? Check out this corned venison recipe!
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Venison Barley Soup
- Total Time: 495 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
Hearty and flavorful, this venison barley soup is perfect for a chilly evening. Simple ingredients create a deeply satisfying bowl of warmth.
Ingredients
- 5 cups (1183 ml) venison stock
- 2 carrots (cut in quarters and then sliced)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp thyme (fresh)
- 1 cup (237 ml) barley
Instructions
- Make venison stock by placing bones in a slow cooker with a quartered onion, a few cloves of garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Measure out 5 cups of stock. Add the remaining ingredients, except the barley. Cook for at least 4 hours on low.
- When the vegetables are tender, add the barley. Continue to cook for one hour.
- Serve hot with bread.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use bone-in venison for the stock.
- If fresh thyme is unavailable, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme can be substituted.
- Leftover soup can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 480 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 80
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of venison cuts should I use for the soup?
You can use tougher cuts of venison, like the legs, or any other cuts that your processor has available, preferably with some bones for added flavor.
Can I substitute barley with another ingredient?
Yes, if you don’t like barley, you can easily replace it with potatoes for a Venison Vegetable Soup or use noodles for a Venison Noodle Soup.
How do I prepare the bones for the soup?
Ask your butcher to cut the back leg bones into lengths that fit your crockpot or Dutch oven, or use a hacksaw to cut them yourself if you’re processing your own deer.
