Description
Hearty beef and barley soup delivers rich German comfort flavors with tender meat, robust vegetables, and pearl barley. Home kitchens will savor this soul-warming classic that promises warmth and satisfaction in each satisfying spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) boneless chuck roast (cut into small pieces)
Vegetables:
- 1.5 cups (225 grams) carrots (sliced thin)
- 1.5 cups (225 grams) celery (sliced thin)
- ½ cup (75 grams) onion (chopped)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) pre-sliced mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Liquid and Seasonings:
- 8–10 cups (1.9–2.4 liters) water (for thickness you want)
- 2 tablespoons beef base (to make broth)
- 1 cup (185 grams) uncooked pearl barley
- 1 large bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt (add to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (add to taste)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear beef pieces until golden brown on all sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side, creating a rich caramelized exterior.
- Transfer browned beef pieces into a slow cooker, then layer in diced carrots, chopped celery, sliced onions, and sliced mushrooms for a robust vegetable foundation.
- Add minced garlic, beef base (or ), water (or 32 fluid ounces), and a single bay leaf to develop a deeply flavored broth base.
- Set slow cooker to high temperature and allow ingredients to meld together for one hour, which helps intensify the soup’s overall depth and complexity.
- Reduce slow cooker temperature to low, then gently stir in pearl barley (or ) and continue cooking for an additional 4-5 hours until beef becomes fork-tender and vegetables are soft.
- Remove bay leaf and season the soup with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting seasoning as needed for balanced flavor.
- Ladle hot soup into serving bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley or thyme for a bright, herbaceous finish.
Notes
- Prep like a pro by browning beef pieces in a non-stick pan until they develop a rich, golden exterior that locks in incredible flavor.
- Toss browned beef into the slow cooker with an aromatic mix of sliced carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms for a hearty vegetable foundation.
- Quick-start the cooking process on high heat for one hour to jumpstart flavor development and create a robust base for the soup.
- Gently add pearl barley after the initial hour, then reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer slowly for 4-6 hours until vegetables become meltingly tender.
- Finish by seasoning with salt and black pepper, removing the bay leaf, and garnishing with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of brightness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg