Description
Make a comforting, rich beef and barley soup using your slow cooker for tender beef and minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, removing the browned pieces to the slow cooker insert.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Add the rinsed barley, beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3.5 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- Rinse the pearl barley well before adding it to prevent cloudiness in the broth.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir this slurry into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Use high-quality beef broth for the best flavor in this simple recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 80