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Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

A hearty and comforting Crockpot Beef Barley Soup perfect for any occasion.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • large skillet
  • Dutch oven
  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

Meat and Vegetables

  • 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1.5 lbs potatoes peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces (Yukon gold or russets preferred)
  • 2 carrots peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 medium yellow or sweet onion peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into ½-1 inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic minced

Liquids and Seasonings

  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base optional but recommended
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 6 cups beef broth or stock, reduced sodium
  • ⅔ cup pearl barley

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • If desired, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over MED HIGH heat. Add beef cubes and brown for 1-2 minutes per side.
  • Add beef and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
  • Remove bay leaves and thyme stems and serve. Goes perfectly with some crusty bread.

Instant Pot Directions

  • Place 1 tablespoon oil in the bottom of Instant Pot and set to 'Saute'. Once hot, work in batches to brown the beef. Place on a plate once browned.
  • Add additional 2 teaspoons oil to the Instant Pot and saute the onions and celery until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add the beef back in along with the carrots, tomato paste, beef base, potatoes, worcestershire, barley, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
  • Stir together, place lid on and set valve to 'seal'. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes with a 15 minutes natural release followed by a quick release. Remove lid when safe. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Stove Top Directions

  • Place 1 tablespoon oil in the bottom of a pot (a dutch oven works great!). Work in batches to brown the beef. Place on a plate once browned.
  • Add 1 tablespoon butter to pot and saute the onions and celery over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  • Add the beef back in along with the carrots, tomato paste, beef base, potatoes, worcestershire, barley, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer 60-90 minutes or until beef is tender.
  • Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Notes

If you find the barley is too soft for your liking, you can try adding the barley halfway through the cook time (for slow cooker), and the last 30 minutes of cooking (on the stovetop). For the instant pot, I would cook the barley separate since you can't open it up halfway through the cook time. If not using the Better than Bouillon, you might need to increase the seasoning amounts, to your tastes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 30gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 800mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 3mg
Keyword barley soup, beef soup, Comfort Food, Crockpot Beef Barley Soup, hearty soup, Slow Cooker Soup
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