Soup made with beef and barley.

1. Cook the ground beef in a non-stick frying pan until it is browned, stirring often.

Take the beef out of the pan and put it in the crockpot. Include chopped carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms, along with beef broth, water, minced garlic, and a bay leaf.

Cook on high heat for one hour. Then, add pearl barley and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking until the vegetables and beef are soft. Add salt and pepper.

Remove the bay leaf.

TIPS FOR MAKING BEEF BARLEY SOUP:

Use a less tender piece of meat – this is a great example of when to use a tougher cut like a chuck roast or shoulder. You don’t have to purchase costly sirloin tips or anything like that.

Cooking the beef until it turns brown gives it more flavor, but it is not completely necessary. I enjoy browning my pieces of beef because it gives them a rich flavor. I have prepared this dish many times without doing that extra step, and it still tastes great.