Beef Barley Soup

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I stole this recipe for Beef Barley Soup from Karen at thefoodcharlatan.com who stole it from her mother-in-law. This is a hearty soup that cooks all day in the slow cooker. Beef chunks are seared in a skillet and then added to the slow cooker. Celery, onions, garlic, beef base and water are added in next. After cooking for several hours, shredded carrots and potatoes are added with barley and cooked for another hour. The smell of this soup cooking all day will make your mouth water.

Generously salt and pepper 2 lbs stew beef. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add about ⅓ of the beef, brown 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side.

Repeat with remaining meat in 2 batches. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Add 3 stalks chopped celery (2 cups) and 2 chopped onions to the skillet.

Cook on low to lightly brown the vegetables. (This step was not in the original recipe, but it added more flavor to the vegetables.)

Add the celery, onions and 5 minced cloves of garlic to the meat in the slow cooker.

Next add 2 cups water to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up the all the brown bits. Add the water from the pan to the slow cooker with an additional 8 cups of water mixed with 3 mounded tbsp beef base.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Stir the soup, then add 1 large potato that has been peeled and shredded and 3-4 carrots that have also been peeled and shredded and cook for another hour.

Next add 1 cup pearl barley.

Simmer for another hour or so, until barley is tender.

Ladle in bowls and serve.

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Beef Barley Soup

This is a hearty soup that cooks all day in the slow cooker. Beef chunks are seared in a skillet and then added to the slow cooker. Celery, onions, garlic, beef base and water are added in next. After cooking for several hours, shredded carrots and potatoes are added with barley and cooked for another hour.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Slow Cooker
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs stew meat nicely marbled beef chunks
  • Salt / pepper
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 10 cups water
  • 3 mounded tbsp beef base
  • 3 stalks celery 2 cups, chopped
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large potato peeled and shredded (2 cups)
  • 3-4 large carrots peeled and shredded (2 cups)
  • 1 cup pearl barley rinsed

Instructions

  1. Generously salt and pepper the beef. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  2. When hot, add about ⅓ of the beef, brown 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining meat in 2 batches. Transfer meat to slow cooker.
  3. Add 2 cups water to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up the all the brown bits. Add the water from the pan to the slow cooker with the remaining 8 cups of water.
  4. Add the beef base, celery, onions and garlic to the slow cooker and stir.
  5. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour.
  6. Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so, until tender.

Recipe Notes

I sauté the celery and onions in the skillet after browning the beef, this helps add flavor to the vegetables. For the beef base I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. You can use quick cooking barley; then shorten cooking time to 15 – 30 minutes.