Description
Hearty beef barley soup brings comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen, warming souls with rich, savory goodness. Winter meals find perfection in this classic blend of tender beef, wholesome barley, and nourishing vegetables you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1.5 pounds (680 grams) lean boneless beef (chuck or stew meat), cubed
Vegetables:
- 6 carrots, diced
- 6 green onions, diced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Seasonings and Other Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups water, divided
- 3 cans (10.5 ounces each) beef broth
- 1 cup pearl barley (uncooked)
Instructions
- Prepare a large skillet and heat oil over medium-high temperature, creating a sizzling surface for meat preparation.
- Place beef cubes into the hot skillet, allowing each piece to develop a rich golden-brown exterior for approximately 5 minutes, rotating to ensure even caramelization.
- Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper across the meat, ensuring uniform seasoning coverage.
- Transfer the seared beef cubes into the slow cooker, preserving the flavorful browned surface.
- Return skillet to heat and pour water, using a wooden spatula to scrape accumulated browned bits from the pan’s bottom, releasing concentrated flavor compounds.
- Pour the deglazing liquid directly into the slow cooker, incorporating all extracted essence.
- Add remaining water, broth, chopped carrots, diced onions, sliced celery, pearl barley, and fresh parsley into the slow cooker.
- Secure the lid and set slow cooker to LOW temperature, allowing ingredients to meld and tenderize for 6-8 hours (alternatively, use HIGH setting for 3-4 hours).
- Check barley’s texture towards cooking duration’s end, ensuring grains are soft and plump.
- Gently stir in fresh thyme moments before serving, enhancing the soup’s aromatic profile.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed, creating a balanced flavor experience.
Notes
- Boost flavor by selecting well-marbled beef chuck roast, which provides richer taste and more tender meat during slow cooking.
- Enhance texture by toasting barley in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before adding to the slow cooker, intensifying its nutty characteristics.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium broth and controlling salt amounts, making the soup more heart-healthy and diet-friendly.
- Accommodate vegetarian preferences by substituting beef with mushrooms or plant-based protein chunks, maintaining similar hearty texture and umami profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg