Beef and Barley Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups celery, thinly sliced
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1 package pre-sliced mushrooms (8-ounce)
2 tablespoons beef base (different from beef broth, it’s a concentrated flavor base)
8-10 cups water
1 large bay leaf
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic
Directions:
Brown Beef: In a non-stick frying pan, brown the pieces of chuck roast until they are golden brown, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking.
Transfer to Crockpot: Remove the browned beef from the pan and place it in a slow cooker (crockpot). Add thinly sliced carrots, celery, chopped onion, pre-sliced mushrooms, beef base, water, minced garlic, and a large bay leaf to the slow cooker.
Initial Cooking: Set the slow cooker to high heat and cook for one hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
Add Barley: After one hour, add the uncooked pearl barley to the slow cooker, stirring gently to combine all the ingredients.
Continue Cooking: Turn the slow cooker down to low heat and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and the beef is cooked through. This may take several hours, depending on your slow cooker.
Season and Serve: Once the soup is fully cooked, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
Nutritional Information:
(Per Serving – 1 cup)
Calories: 280 kcal
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 45mg
Sodium: 650mg
Total Carbohydrates: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 20g
