Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
Hearty, healthy, tasty and comforting, this soup is just what you need during the cold winter months!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. blade steak aka chuck steak, cubed into bite-size pieces
- ground Himalayan sea salt, as needed
- freshly ground black pepper, as needed (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 1 1/2 cups white onions, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups celery, sliced tips & tricks
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes with its liquid
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste tips & tricks
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup dry red wine *optional
- 3/4 cup pearled barley
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1 large bay leaf
Directions
- Generously season the beef cubes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. When hot, add the cubes and quickly sear for about 4 minutes or until no longer red but not totally cooked; remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a slow cooker, add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, beef broth, red wine, barley, Worcestershire sauce and rosemary; stir to combine.
- Add the seared meat to the veggies including the drippings; stir well. Add bay leaf and cook for 4 ½ hours on “High” or 8 hours on “Low”, or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked (*see footnote).
- If using the stove top instead of the slow cooker, simmer for 1 hour on medium heat.
Notes
Footnote: After the time is up, let it go on the "Warm" setting for at least 30 minutes so the liquid has time to thicken on its own.