Shelly's Recipe

BEEF BARLEY SOUP - Crock Pot

Category: Soups

3 lbs boneless beef chuck stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
8 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup pearl barley
2 beef marrow bones (see note)
1 tbsp cider vinegar

Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef, about 8 minutes. Transfer to crock pot and repeat with additional 2 tsp oil and remaining beef.

Add remaining oil, onions, and carrots to skillet and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Cook garlic, thyme, and tomato paste until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to crock pot.

Add broth, tomatoes, barley, and bones to crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW until meat is tender, 7 to 9 hours (or cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours). Skim fat from surface and discard bones. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve. Serves 6 to 8


Make Ahead: You can prepare the recipe through step 2 the night before the ingredients go into the crock pot. Refrigerate the browned beef and the vegetable mixture in separate containers. In the morning, transfer the beef and vegetable mixture to the crock pot and proceed with step 3. Cooking time will be on the high end of the ranges given.