Hearty homemade comfort food for chilly San Luis Valley evenings.

With nighttime temperatures dipping below freezing in the San Luis Valley, a steaming bowl of homemade soup is especially welcome. I had 2½ pounds of yak soup bones in my freezer and decided to turn them into an old-fashioned barley soup. Roasting the bones first gave the homemade broth a distinctive, rich flavor.

From my kitchen: After 90 minutes in the Instant Pot, the yak meat was wonderfully tender. The bone broth had a unique flavor—a little stronger than I expected, but pleasantly different from a traditional beef soup. With pearl barley, potatoes, and carrots, it made a satisfying cold-weather dinner. If you don't have yak, meaty beef soup bones or beef shanks work well too.

Servings: About 4 generous portions

Equipment: 8-quart Instant Pot and roasting pan

Time: Allow about 4–5 hours, including roasting, pressure buildup and releases.

Ingredients

For the broth:

• 2½ pounds thawed yak soup bones (or beef soup bones)

• 7 cups water

• ½ medium onion, quartered

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the soup:

• ½ cup dry pearl barley, rinsed

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes

• 2 medium carrots, sliced thickly

• 4½ cups prepared yak broth, plus more if needed

• Cooked yak meat removed from the bones

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the bones. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat thawed bones with olive oil and roast on a pan for 35–45 minutes, turning halfway through, until browned.

2. Make the broth. Transfer bones to the Instant Pot. Add water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, Mrs. Dash, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Keep below the maximum fill line. Pressure cook on High for 90 minutes, then let pressure release naturally for 25–30 minutes before releasing any remainder. Remove bones; when cool enough, pull off and shred the tender meat. Strain the broth, discarding bones and cooked aromatics.

3. Cook the barley. Return 4½ cups strained broth to the Instant Pot. Add rinsed pearl barley. Pressure cook on High for 15 minutes, allow 10 minutes natural release, then release remaining pressure.

4. Add vegetables and meat. Stir in potatoes, carrots and shredded yak. Add broth if needed so vegetables are mostly submerged. Pressure cook on High for 3 minutes, followed by a careful quick release.

5. Finish and serve. Stir gently, check that the vegetables and barley are tender, and adjust salt and pepper. Add more broth for a soupier consistency, or mash a few potato pieces to thicken. Serve hot with crusty bread or biscuits.

Tips from My Kitchen

No yak? Beef soup bones or meaty shanks are a good substitute.

Use regular pearl barley: quick-cooking barley needs different timing.

Save the broth: freeze any extra for future soups, stews or gravy.

Leftovers: barley keeps absorbing liquid, so add broth when reheating. Refrigerate promptly and use within 3–4 days, or freeze.

Sometimes the best meals begin with something tucked away in the freezer. This one turned a package of soup bones into a warming dinner, with plenty of flavor and tender meat.

Have a family recipe, cooking tip or kitchen tradition to share? Send it to editor@thesanluisvalleybeat.com. We'd love to hear what's cooking in kitchens across the San Luis Valley.