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Beef and Barley Soup

A comforting and hearty slow-cooked soup featuring tender beef, pearl barley, and vegetables, perfect for chilly nights.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.5 lb beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes Use beef chuck for the best flavor.
  • 1.5 lb potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), peeled and diced to 1/2 inch Adjust potato type based on preference.
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2–1 inch pieces
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley Can be substituted with quick-cooking barley.
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp beef base (optional, for extra depth) Use Better Than Bouillon for the best flavor.
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium beef stock or broth Use a low-sodium option to reduce overall salt.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Trim excess fat from the beef and cut into 1-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. (Optional but recommended) Heat a skillet over medium-high with a little oil. Brown beef cubes in batches 1–2 minutes per side for extra flavor, then transfer to the crockpot.
  3. Add diced potatoes, sliced carrots, diced onion, and cut celery to the slow cooker.
  4. Stir in pearl barley, minced garlic, and tomato paste until vegetables and meat are coated.
Cooking
  1. Add beef base (if using), Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
  2. Pour 6 cups of reduced-sodium beef stock over everything, scraping any deglaze bits from the skillet into the pot.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and barley is plump.
  4. Remove thyme stems and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

The soup tastes even better the next day. It can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.