Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
Mushrooms, Onions & Carrots
- 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb button or cremini mushrooms, halved
- 2 cups water to deglaze pan, divided
- 4 medium carrots, cut into ½" rounds
- 2 medium onions, cut into ½" pieces
- ½ tsp dried thyme
Beef, Tomatoes & Barley
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1½ lbs beef, cut into ½" cubes [chuck roast is used in this video]
- 1 cup water to deglaze pan
- 4 cups of water added directly to slow cooker
- 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1½ tbsp salt
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ¾ cup pearled barley
To Finish
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Special Equipment
- slow cooker
How-to
Brown the Mushrooms, Carrots & Onions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1 tsp of olive oil. Brown mushrooms on all sides, about 2-3 minutes, transfer to a bowl and set aside
- Add 1 cup of water to the skillet and deglaze (scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove and dissolve caramelized bits of flavorful food). Pour mushroom-water into a bowl (or fat separator) and set aside
- Wipe the skillet and heat 1 tsp of olive oil. Add carrots, onions and ½ tsp dried thyme. Brown onions and carrots, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer onions and carrots (not mushrooms) to a slow cooker
- Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of water. Add carrot/onion water to the mushroom water (creating a vegetable water)
Brown the Beef, Set the Slow Cooker & Finish the Soup
- Wipe pan and heat 1 tsp oil. Increase heat to high and brown meat on all sides, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer meat to the slow cooker
- Deglaze pan with 1 cup water. Add meat water to vegetable water and add to slow cooker
- Add 4 cups of water to the slow cooker along with tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and pearled barley
- Cover and cook for at least 6 hours (and up to 12 hours) or low or 4 hours on high
- Check seasonings, add the browned mushrooms and peas and heat vegetables through before serving