Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup is rich, thick and hearty soup that is perfect for a chilly fall or winter night.

The cold weather has arrived. I can see my breath when I go out for a walk and I have had to scrap ice off my windows a few times.

We enjoy soup year round at our house but especially in the fall and winter.  Nothing is quite as satisfying as getting a pot of hearty soup going in the slow cooker in the morning, smelling it simmer all day and then enjoying a big bowl full for dinner!

Ingredients

• Beef. I like to use stew meat that you can buy already cut up in the meat department. It makes it quick and easy but you could also buy a sirloin, chuck or round steak and cube up the meat yourself.
• Barley. You can substitute regular barley for pearl barley, farro or even rice. Rice will cook faster than barley. Barley is found in the grain aisle (with the rice and pasta) at the grocery store.

• Tomatoes. The recipe calls for crushed tomatoes. If you only have whole or diced tomatoes just place them in the blender and blend until smooth before adding them to the slow cooker.

How to Make Crock Pot Beef and Barley Soup

• Brown the meat. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add meat.
• Season with Montreal Steak Seasoning. If I am pressed for time I will put the meat into the slow cooker without browning it first. If you don’t brown the meat, skip the olive oil but add in the Montreal Steak Seasoning.

• Cook the meat until lightly browned.

• Add meat, carrots, onions, celery, potatoes and tomatoes into the slow cooker.
• Stir in seasonings and beef broth. Stir to incorporate.

• Cook on low for 8 hours.

• After seven hours, add in the barley and turn the slow cooker up to high and let it cook one more hour.

.

For more delicious soup recipes try these:

• Steak Soup
• Baked Potato Soup
• Clam Chowder
• Fresh Tomato Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup

Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.

Originally posted Nov. 1, 2013