Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup was one of my favorite soups from when I was growing up. We had a little restaurant in town that made the absolute best Beef Barley Soup, and I have been trying to recreate it for years! My husband came across this recipe, modified it a bit, and it's really close to what I remember. Enjoy Beef Barley Soup that you can cook in your crockpot!

Beef Barley Soup is an easy-to-prepare meal that you can make in your crockpot!Photo byLori Dunn / Pixabay

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds of beef stew meat
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 large carrots cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of Spice World Minced Garlic
• 3 large containers (32 oz each) of Progresso Beef Broth
• 3 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 ¼ cups pearl barley (we used the store brand, Publix)
• ½ package of shiitake mushrooms (about 2.5 oz)
• ½ package sliced white mushrooms (about 4 oz)
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (we used the store brand, Publix)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Wondra Quick-Mixing Flour for thickening to desired consistency

Enjoy!Photo bySteve Buissinne / Pixabay

Directions:

1. Place the olive oil into a pan and brown the beef cubes on each side. Note: if your crockpot or multi-cooker has the Saute feature, you can do this right in the pot.
2. Remove the beef from the pan or pot. Cook the onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic for 4-5 minutes or until softened, adding additional olive oil if necessary.
3. Add all ingredients except for the Wondra Quick-Mixing Flour to your crockpot. Stir to combine.
4. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
5. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with salt & pepper if necessary.
6. Optional: if you would like a thicker soup, mix 1/4 cup of Wondra Quick-Mixing Flour in with 1/4 cup of cold water, stirring to incorporate. Pour this into the soup slowly and stir continually. Repeat if you are aiming for a thicker soup.
7. Note: if you think the barley is too soft and you would prefer it firmer, the next time you make the soup, add it to your slow cooker halfway through the cooking time.

Many of my articles to date have dealt specifically with Lake County, Florida, but I'm expanding and covering recipes I enjoy. If you enjoy cooking in your slow cooker, here are a few great slow cooker recipes for you - Crockpot Beef Stroganoff, Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast, Crockpot Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Crockpot Merlot Beef, Crockpot Herbed Chicken Stew, Crockpot Beef Stew, and Slow Cooker Cuban Ropa Vieja.

If you're interested in following along, here's what you need to do - download the Newsbreak app, create a User Account, and follow me at Lake County Florida - Here's What's Happening! If this sounds like a good recipe to you and you think others may enjoy it as well, please share it with them. Enjoy!