Real Simple Beef and Barley Soup
09/30/2001
Great recipe! I used stew meat instead of the roast, and used 4 cups canned beef broth (ready- to-serve kind, not condensed kind) instead of the water and bouillon cube. Thanks to a previous reviewer's recommendation, I put all ingredients except barley and salt in crockpot and cooked it on low for 10 hrs., then added the barley and salt during the last 20 minutes. This greatly simplified the recipe! (I had hoped it might be done at 8 hrs., but the veggies were still slightly crunchy, so 10 hrs. is the right length.)
07/25/2004
This is a lovely recipe and here's an EASY way to do it. Buy a couple pounds of stew meat (I cut it up even smaller than the butcher does) and put it in the crockpot the night before and sprinkle some Montreal Steak seasoning on it. The next morning, put four cubes of beef bouillon, sugar, fresh garlic, crushed tomatoes (not stewed), bag of frozen mixed veggies and the four cups of water. (Will probably come to the top of the crockpot.) Cook on low for 10+ hours and in the last hour or so, add the barley. This is a mainstay at our house and even my 14 month old likes it!
01/01/2004
As others have done, I put everything in a crock pot, double the barley, use beef broth instead of water and bullion, and add additional veggies (a package of frozen broccoli crowns, 2-3 potatoes, diced, and 2 cans of chopped green chiles). I also use stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces and brown it with the onion, worcestershire and ground black pepper before adding to the crock pot. The barley doesn't go in until the last hour. Great recipe, a favorite at home and hunting camp. It is even better on the second and third day.
02/26/2002
I followed another reviewer's advice and put everything in the slow cooker right from the start. I omitted the celery and carrots as the frozen mixed vegies were enough. I used a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes and doubled the broth. It was ready after 8 hours. An absolutely wonderful soup! My kitchen smelled great all day long.
03/16/2012
Wow - thank you so much for an excellant base recipe for beef barley soup. i have been trying for a while to get a beef barley that tastes like my dear mothers - and nothing compared! I used this recipe as a base and it is PERFECT - upon reading lots of the reviews, i decided to cook everything in a crock pot - all at the same time except the barely which went in the last hour! my changes were such -using 10 cups of beef stock (home made) / used 4 bay leaves / less carrot and celary because of the frozen veggies / added 4 cloves of garlic / used crushed tomatos instead of stewed / added worshestershire sauce - about 1 tablespoon / and added fresh herbs which my mom always said makes the difference - added thyme / parsley / oregano AND basil. Upped the pearl barley to ONE CUP - to compinsate for the extra stock. cooked for 10 hours as alot of reviews stated on low in my crock pot. YUM YUM YUM Y UM YUM! were were licking our bowls clean and i cannot wait to eat more! it is perfection!
02/20/2002
This soup was good, with some modifications. There wasn't enough barley, too many vegetables. I recommend scaling the carrots and celery down. Also, like another reviewer, we added thyme, oregano, basil, and worsheshire sauce for some flavor. Also, I would have preferred diced tomatoes instead of stewed, they were hard to eat with a spoon. But with these slight changes, the soup was delicious and the beef was very tender!
11/12/2006
The was better then I expected--especially since the directions are so poorly written. I added two cans of beef broth to the roast and cooked it on low while I was at work. When I came home I removed the roast from the slow cooker to cool and poured the broth into a large measuring cup to skim the grease. (A chuck roast is really fatty--good flavor, but you gotta drain the grease.) Once the grease is skimmed add water or more beef broth to total the liquid required in the recipe. Also, almost all the frozen mixed veggies in the store have carrots already in them--obviously you don't need to add fresh carrots if they're already in there. I ended up just adding some frozen corn, green beans and peas seperately. This was really meaty, I guess cause normally I add a pound, pound and a half of meat to my soup/stew, and this calls for a three pound pot roast. You could use a smaller roast but my family thought the extra meat was the best part.
07/24/2002
Margo, your recipe for beef barley soup was great! I added a bit more barley, and cubed some potatoes, and added basil and worchester sauce.The smell was awesome, and its full of veggies, which is good for the kids.Thanks for taking the time to post this great recipe.
12/22/2006
Delicious! I added 1/2 cup red wine as suggested by other people. I only used 1/2 the bag of mixed veggies and a 2 pound roast and it turned out very hearty with plenty of meat. The flavor was delicious and it was more like a stew than a soup. Just add more broth if you want it more soupy. I will definitely make it again and I'm e-mailing the recipe to friends! Thanks!!!! P.S. My pet peeve is when people change the recipe and rate it poorly - read the reviews of the poor ratings on this recipe and you'll notice that they didn't follow the recipe so they shouldn't have reviewed it in the first place!
12/27/2002
Threw the all the ingredients in the crockpot except the barley from the start. Cooked for 12 hours on low and added barley for the last half hour on high. This was very good. Easy and hearty for the winter!
12/13/2002
I'm on my 3rd time making this soup & we love it. The only difference is that I cut the meat before I cook it (I've used a roast & round steak), and added a can of beef broth while it cooks in the slow cooker. I just add all the veggies into the crock pot towards the end, a don't saute them, it tastes the same to me. I also add a packet of gravey mix. This is a keeper.
02/17/2009
This is a recipe my family has been using for years with slight variation. My parents owned a restaurant and they tought us that the best flavor comes from meat on the bone so we use beef shank for soup. I have never made it in a slow cooker but do everything in one pot on the stove. Added diced tomatoes. We do take meat out once it is tender, dice it up and keep on the side to add back in later. Veggies get cooked in the meat broth to impart flavor into them as well. We pour the soup over a small amount of tiny acini de pepe pasta which is cooked separately and placed in the bowl first. As most restaurants, my mom always put a tiny dollop of butter on the pasta before the soup goes in. With some homemade bread, it doesn't get any better than this!!
11/06/2005
Splendid! A rich, hearty, soup that was DEFINITELY better the second day. Next time I won't even plan to eat it for dinner the first day--so worth the wait! My tweaks: 1) I pre-cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and browned it in small batches in a skillet (large batches get too soupy). 2) Next, I sauteed the onion in the same pan. 3) I omitted the frozen veggies and doubled the carrots and celery. 4) I used 4 (14 oz) cans of broth. 5) I substituted canned diced tomatoes for the stewed. 5) I dumped everything into the crock pot at once along with the browned meat and onions and, as per others' suggestion, added the barley during the last hour. It didn't plump fully, so next time I'll add it during the last 2 hours. The soup needed 8 hours on low in order to cook the carrots. I froze two 1-gallon Zip-Locs and still had enough left for a full meal!
11/12/2006
Cooked in the slow cooker. Browned beef first than transfered. I made some changes to this to give a little more flavor,you can use stew beef in place of the roast also. I added pearl onions, marjoram, thyme,2 tbs. worchestire sauce, beef base (I kept adding as cooking) a little basil, garlic pepper, I used alot of garlic. I used 2 pints of my (self) canned whole tomatoes. I also added 1 1/2 cups of barley. My whole family loves this soup, All the additions made it taste like a gourmet soup at a restaurant.this is the second time I have made this.
11/12/2002
I followed the advice of some other reviewers and crocked all but the barley and bay leaf all day, for simplicity's sake. I've made it twice now with rave reviews each time, this is definitely a keeper. Thanks for posting!
05/29/2003
This recipie is *wonderful.* I make big batches of it and keep it in the freezer in meal-sized portions. I did use the extra beef broth that others suggested (8 cups) since when I put the barley directly into the soup to cook, the barley would have soaked up a lot of the existing broth. I also added an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce. I added some thyme, basil, oregano and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Made the entire thing in my 18-quart electric Nesco roaster. It took 12 hours all in all (including cooking the beef first). I put the barley in 30 minutes before the soup was done. Thanks, Margo!
01/22/2006
After reading the other reviews, I made the recipe exactly and altered it afterwards. I wanted to see what it was like the way it was written. I found it quite bland and very thick. I added 1 pkg. of Lipton Onion Soup Mix with 3 cups of water, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, 1/4 tsp thyme powder, 2 tsp. worchestershire sauce, and some black pepper (probably about 1/4 tsp). Next time I would cut the meat up beforehand. I also would use less meat - probably about half the amount. It was more like a stew and yet not as good as a stew because of the "soupy" nature and because the meat was strings instead of cubes. I would try it again with some alterations, but I also would just add everything into the crock pot after the meat was cooked instead of using two pots.
07/19/2002
Excellent! I felt the recipe needed a little more barley. I also added a couple potatoes and shredded another to thicken the soup.
01/09/2012
I didn't have time for a slow cook meal, so I did it stove top. I doubled the stock and barley and left out the frozen mixed vegetables. I sauted the meat, then the onion, carrots and celery and then dumped in the rest of the ingredients. Also added some garlic. Fabulous. As it is written there are far too many veg, not enough broth or barley.
02/22/2006
This recipe always turns out well, and it's one of my favorites to make and freeze to have on hand when I don't have time to cook. I do cook the meat first in the slow cooker, then chill the juices in order to skim off all the fat; return the beef juices back to the soup. Also, I substitute 3 cans (or more) of low-sodium beef broth for the water & bouillon. I liked the suggestion from others who added Worcestershire; I used about 2 teaspoons. Good comfort food!
11/02/2011
Very good, I did tweak a bit though. 1) I cubed and browned the chuck after trimming most of the fat to make it healthier. 2) I used canned veggies except for corn, because that is what was handy. 3) I did not add sugar, and did not miss it. I did not add beef bouillon, or water, as I used fat free beef broth instead. 4) I used more beef broth (about 4 cans), which I am glad I did since otherwise this would have been a stew, and I prefer soups. Tossed everything in after I browned the beef in a pan, and let it go for about 6 hours (4 on high, 2 on low). I really enjoyed this though, and will make it again for sure!
03/01/2003
I read the reviews and decided to use 2 lbs. cubed stewing meat. I put everything into the slow cooker except the barley and bay leaf. I also put in 2 med. size potatoes and 1 tbsp worchestire sauce. I used about 1 1/2 cups of peas and 1 cup of green beans (frozen) instead of the mixed veggies. I Have a 4 quart slow cooker, the soup was right to the top and was bubbling over a few times. I cooked this on high because it seemed to take hours to get going. I left it on high for approx. 7 hours. If you have a huge slow cooker and there is lots of room leftover then I would cook this on low for around 5 hours. I think I need the 6 quart cooker now so I can increase the size of this soup, it is excellent according to my family, and I think so to. Served warm buns with it. Michele, ontario, canada
01/30/2011
This is a special recipe ! I make a swiss steak the day before, sauteeing it in flour and covering it with stewed tomatoes and a can of golden mushroom soup). I cook that in an electric skillet all day and when it's done, I take a moderately large piece off of it and save to make this soup the next day ! I , too use beef broth and water with 1 bouillon cube per cup. Tomatoes and green chilis are wonderful and all the spices you love ! We eat this in bread bowls and sprinke the top with fresh parmesan. Lovely , nutritious and ever so satisfying !
11/16/2005
I tried this recipe because it was a crock pot recipe and it was wonderful. I have to say this WILL BE my vegetable soup recipe from now on. I had a friend's Mother pass recently and I took this to the funeral home for the family to snack on during the showing and everyone raved about this soup. It's definitely an easy comfort food that seems like you've spent hours preparing. The only thing I did different was added worchestershire sauce and sprinkled a steak seasoning to the stew meat while it was roasting. The meat was so tender and falling apart. Also I didn't have stewed tomatoes, so I used petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil, they worked perfectly. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
10/05/2001
This was the easiest meal I've ever made! I cut up the chuck along with all the veggies, threw them in the crockpot, and cooked for 12 hours. I added the barley the last hour of cooking. YumYum! Must serve with cornbread! I did omit the oil; I didn't miss it.
03/14/2010
Deserves 5 stars for ease and flavor. When I made this, however, I did some alterations based on what I had available and some preferred cooking methods (reduced recipe in half). Used 1.25 pds beef stew meat. Browned each piece till it had a roasted look to it, then dumped them in slow cooker. Sliced a humongo onion up into 1/2 inch pieces and using same pan, sauteed those until golden, added to slower cooker. Cut up 2 large fresh carrots (oblong shapes), 2 stalks of celery (regular 1-4 inch slices), and 2 large russet potatoes (peeled and one inch cubes), 4 smashed cloves of garlic, and added to pot. Used 2 cups of cartoned, low sodium beef broth. Cooked on low for 4 hours; tasting good. Added about 1 cup frozen corn and 1 cup frozen peas and the remainder of the broth in the carton, and heated it hot again. It looks colorful and taste great. Its a soup, not a stew...decided to not add any tomatoes or flour to thicken. Just a simple beef and vegetable soup. Did not add sugar because I didn't use canned tomatoes. Barley would be awesome, but I used potatoes and so no barley in this batch. Next time :) I believe the key to my good soup was browning the meat and the onions before they went into the slow cooker. Would have done the carrots too, but I got lazy. Slicing them into oblong shapes, like one inch pencil pieces?...made for nice visual contrast. Pretty...and tasty. :)
05/27/2014
Very good! Healthy and Filling! I did this all in the crockpot...did the meat first ( a steak that needed to be used up and some venison pieces) About the last 2 hours, I added the barley and a can of mixed veggies. So mine was more like a stew, a ton of meat, and pretty cheap because I needed to use up that can of mix veggies. I chopped my meat into bite size pieces....steak will hold its shape in the crockpot and became real tender after 4-5 hours in the crockpot! Served with corn mufins...great Super Bowl meal!
04/02/2004
fabulous recipe! i put all of the ingredients i want into a pot (2-2.5 lbs. cubed chuck roast or beef stew meat, pkg frozen mixed vegetables, 2-3 cubed potatoes, chopped onion, chopped stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes, bay leaf...), and i add 1 cup barley about 45-60 minutes before serving. as suggested by others, make sure to double the beef broth if you plan on increasing the amount of barley in the recipe - 8 cups water & 8 beef bouillon cubes. i highly recommend adding more barley! i put everything into a pot because it cooks a lot faster (about 3 hours) and i'm a stay-at-home mom who is able to watch it. on the stove or in a crockpot, this is a delicious soup. everyone loves it, even kids!
11/05/2007
Yum - this is a winner! I followed reviewers advice and threw everything into the crock pot except for the barley, cooking it on high for five hours, adding the barley during the last hour. I left out the frozen vegetables, adding a few more carrots and a can of corn instead. I also added thyme, basil, oregano and about 1 T. of soy sauce to give it more flavor. Up the barley to 3/4 cup (1/2 is too little and 1 is too much). With these changes it's fabulous.
02/26/2007
This soup was a hit with my kids, who never were big fans of vegetable soup. Even my 13-year-old had a 2nd helping! I used a 3# roast but probably could have reduced to a 2# and also added beef broth since I like my soup less thick. Very nice blend of flavors and makes plenty.
01/17/2011
This was excellent! I made some changes because of time and ingredients. First off, I made this on the stove. I used beef broth instead of the water and bouillon. I added more carrots and celery, and some cubed potato. I did not use the frozen mixed veggies, but I did add about 1/2 a bag of frozen green beans towards the end. The taste of this soup was really good, and it was really hearty. It's a little time consuming, cutting the meat and chopping the veggies, but it was worth every second!
09/27/2003
Thanks for a wonderful recipe Margo! My family loved it. I did cook the roast first in my crockpot with a can of beef broth and left out the bay leaf. Also I didn't use the carrots since they came in the bag of frozen veggies that I bought. I precooked the barley and added to the soup later so as to not soak up the juice. This made alot of soup and I was able to freeze a bowl for another time. Will definitely make this recipe again. Oh yeah, I also added 2 tsps. of worchestire sauce to the soup too. Delicious!!!
10/22/2011
Excellent soup, but following other reviews I did change it a little bit!!! I used Angus Beef already cubed in place of the chuck. I did not use the frozen vegetables, but used 3 small potatoes cubed with the skins on, 3 small parsnips chopped, handful green beans chopped, handful of peas, 1 medium onion, 3 stalks celery, and 3 carrots. I sauted the vegetables for about 5 minutes before throwing all ingredients (apart from the barley) into the crock pot. During the last hour, I added the barley. Cooked for 8 hours in total. This was so delicious, my family loved it!
12/12/2005
We had this soup last night for Sunday supper. Incredibly good! Instead of the two step process and changing pans we slow cooked the meat as called for in the recipe and then added the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot about two hours before it was supposed to be done and it worked out just fine. We did add more water to make it "soupier" and added a splash of red wine. With a glass of wine and a good sour dough bread a very yummy and filling meal! Thanks Margo!
01/16/2011
By far the best recipe for beef barley soup I've ever made! Hearty and flavorful- warms you up on a cold day! I added chopped green onions as well as yellow onions and 2 tsps. of a jar of liquid spices called sofrito and its delicious!
04/10/2002
I thought this soup was great, I did modify it a little . I used fresh carrots, onions, frozen green beans and corn, and put the stewed tomatoes in the blender so the kids would eat them.forgot the bay leaf.I would definatly recommend this delicious recipe!!
04/15/2004
Man was this great. I added 2 cans of new potatoes, 1 tsp each thyme and oregano, and 2 Tbs worchestershire. I was a little leery about adding the barley in with the beef, it seemed too dry in the crock pot to soften the barley up. But it was fine, the meat gave off enough liquid to do the trick. The soup was thick and had a nice steaky taste, better than most I've had in restaraunts. So great to know how to make it at home now! A wonderful recipe.
12/03/2011
I made this to use up some leftover pot roast, so I went about this a little differently. First I cooked the barley in beef broth. Then I sautéed the carrots, celery and onion for about five minutes in about 1 T. of oil. I added beef broth (rather than the water and bouillon), the bay leaf, tomatoes and black pepper. I simmered this until the veggies were tender, and then added the cubed pot roast and the cooked barley. At this point my soup looked pretty chunkie, so I opted not to add the frozen mixed vegetables. Very good! And a great way to use up all my leftover pot roast! I will be making this one again!
01/04/2006
This was a very flavorful, hearty stew. I cut up the meat before putting it in the crockpot. I was concerned there wouldnt be enough broth for the barley to cook in, but there ended up being plenty produced by the meat. I added more beef broth than called for, and rather than simmering it all on the stove, put it all in the crockpot on high for approx. 30 mins. at the end. I will definitely make this recipe again.
02/18/2006
What caught my attention about this recipe was cooking the meat first in a slow cooker. I said to myself, now why didn't I think of that? But then I'm thinking why go to a pot on the stove, why not cook it all in the slow cooker? So, I did. I cooked the meat for several hours first and then added the other things the recipe called for. I did add potatoes, green beans, corn and lima beans instead of the mixed vegetables. It turned out wonderfully. A nice recipe for a cold snowy day!
10/09/2003
Like everyone else, I changed a few things to use what I had on hand. I cubed a round steak instead of using a roast. I put everything in the slow cooker except the barley and cooked it all day. I added the barley about 1 hour before serving time. Fresh turnip and cabbage adds a nice flavour. Another trick of mine is to save the water when I boil potatoes. I added potato water instead of the water in the recipe. It adds more flavour and vitamins.
07/28/2011
Wonderful! I doubled the broth added some extra spice (parsley, basil, and a small amount of chilli powder) I used corn instead of the mixed veggies and added a small can of diced green chilis.
09/13/2011
This soup was perfect tonight! I used 1.5 lbs of beef shank instead of beef chuck. It was what I had on hand at the time plus my family was sick. I seasoned the shank with hawaiian sea salt and black pepper and seared in a pot with a 2T of olive oil. I was looking for a dark brown coloring on the meat for both sides. I added 4 cans of beef broth and simmered for about 4 hours. I omitted the sugar, beef bouillon cubes, water, stewed tomatoes, and frozen vegetables. After 4 hours of simmering the beef shank and it was tender, I took it out and set it aside. I added fresh vegetables using 4 carrots, chopped, half a zucchini and celery, diced, half of an onion, chopped, 2 garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf to the pot. I cut up the beef and added it back in the pot along with the broth and vegetables. An hour before serving, I added 1/2 cup of pearl barley. Everything seemed to come together nicely so I removed the bay leaf. It was then that I seasoned it again. I added frozen sweet peas, turned off the stove, covered it with a lid. The soup was so flavorful and comforting! Just salt, black pepper, garlic, and the flavors from the beef bones all add to the wonderful tasty soup. The meat is fork tender and melts in my mouth. The vegetables are soft and the barley cooked perfectly! Since I didn't use the cooking method intended in this recipe I rated this 4 stars, otherwise it would have been a 5 stars. I serve with, "Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread," also from this website.
05/02/2011
Good, but not great. Tasted more like polish gulumpke with out the cabbage. Was actually thinking that if I make it again, I will add shredded cabbage. Also, the barley soaks up all of the liquid and you have to add alot more.
12/29/2010
Very good. I forgot the barley and just dumped everything in the slow cooker and it was delicious.
10/29/2002
We enjoyed this soup last night. Now that the temperature here in the "Windy City" has dropped, it was welcomed. I only had frozen peas to add (vs. mixed veges) but nobody seemed to notice. Next time I'll double the broth as the barley seemed to consume alot of it. Thanks Margo, this hit the spot!
02/04/2011
I've made this a couple times and we really liked it and it's simple.My kind of recipe.It also freezes well.Thanks
01/16/2011
A nice hearty soup for a cold norther winter night. I served this with crusty bread and a nice green salad. Excellent recipe!
03/21/2002
Very good soup. It was a hit at our church's Family Night Supper! I trimmed, boned and cut the roast into bite size pieces before slow cooking. This shortened the cooking time.
01/11/2007
I felt 3 lbs of meat was too much for this size recipe, so reduced it to half. Also excess fat needs to be trimmed. There is no need to saute frozen veg so those were added last. Need to specify NOT quick cooking barley (I don't use it, but it's the reason others had soggy barley.) It is MUCH better cooking all day. Reheated is even better. Also, leaving the bayleaf in all day til the end gave a better flavour (had to add one the second day because it wasn't enough per instructions given.)
01/10/2011
fabulous! however....per reviews i did add worcestire sauce, used fresh tomato instead of canned, 1.5 lb stew meat, did not sautee veggies, added 3 diced potatoes, 9 oz. corn instead of mixed frozen veggies, 4 cups beef broth instead of water/boullion, and 1.5 cups barley. i put EVERYTHING except salt and barley in a crockpot (low) for ~9 hrs (quite enough). per recommendations, i waited until 20 minutes before dinner time to add barley. nope; still VERY FIRM. turned pot up to high for another 25 minutes...still firm...i say after 9 hrs in pot on low add barley and turn up to high for 1 hr.; that's what worked for me....with these modifications it was DELIGHTFUL!!!! i will make this so many more times....
01/20/2006
Very tasty! After I cooked the meat according to the instructions, I threw it, along with all the other ingredients back into the crock pot and cooked it all for 5 more hours on low. The only downside to this was that it got too thick. I had to add 2 extra cups of beef broth. Delicious!
01/06/2009
Good hearty soup! Perfect for cold winter evenings. I made a few changes, but nothing major. I used 2 lbs of stew meat, which I floured and browned first. I also used 2 cans of beef broth rather than the water and bouilon. I added 1 can to the browned meat and let that simmer till the meat was tender. I then added the sauteed veggies, 1 can stewed tomatoes and 1 8 oz can tomato sauce,barley and spices. I also added a few dashes of worchestishire sauce. Simmered on the stove for about 1 hour. Delicious!! My picky husband even gave it the thumbs up.*Update..My very finicky husband loved this soup so much that I didn't get any of the leftovers!! He ate it all!! WOW!! Truley a great recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.
03/11/2011
I loved this recipe! I made it in the crock pot and just threw everything in on high for five hours, but added the barley (quick-cooking) and salt in the last hour. I thought it ended up a little too salty, so I'll cut back on that, but otherwise I will make this over and over again. Thanks for the great recipe!
03/05/2003
Loved this! Used the beef and juice from the Easy Slow Cooker French Dip (which is also on this site) and added some red wine and chicken broth, herbs and seasonings. Cooked the barley separately. Sautéed the vegetables(added broccoli, mushrooms, onions, garlic & a little lite soy sauce). Added the barley and vegetables to the meat and broth mixture with some finely chopped cabbage, raw carrots, broccoli slaw just long enough before serving to get them all hot but so that each vegetables & barley would still have a good texture and separate flavor. Thanks for this recipe Margo. This recipe stands on its own and doesn't need any changes. I just used what I had and it was still delicious!
03/10/2005
INCREDIBLE & BEAUTIFUL!!! I have been making the same vegie-beef stew for 4 years, and it was always good, but I will never make it again! The beef in this soup was very tender and delicious. I didn't have any barley, so I omitted that and used 2 medium cubed potatoes instead. Instead of frozen, I used canned corn, green beans, and peas. I halved the amount of stewed tomatoes (husband doesn't like them), and it was perfect. Also, I like more broth in my soup, so I added 2 cups of water and 2 cubes of bouillion. Served with cornbread. Could not have been better, and the colors made a beautiful presentation!
01/19/2011
This came out wonderful. I used more onions and also more carrots. Really went over super. Thanks so much for the recipe.
11/08/2002
All around, this recipies was pretty good. My husband LOVED it. I did not use a slow cooker and I used left over roast beef from our dinner the night before. It was a fantastic way of using up the left overs. The meat was very tender and the soup had a nice flavor. It is a very thick and filling soup, definetly to be served as a meal at dinner. I will probably make this soup again with leftover meat again, I really don't think it would be worth the time to cook a whole roast just for the soup.
06/01/2014
Absolutely delicious! Everyone tweaks it to their liking, here's what I did! I browned 1.5 lbs of stew beef, half an onion and tbsp of Worcestershire sauce. Then I made 2 cups of wylers beef boullion/2 cubes and threw it all in the crock pot and set it to high. I also added pepper, half the can of stewed tomatoes and two chopped up garlic cloves. I cooked it for about 3 hours adding another dash of Worcestershire in between and the bay leaf. I cut up all the veggies, 4 carrots, 4 celery stalks, 1/4 cabbage, handful of green beans and broccoli, no frozen veggies. I sauted them all in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for about 6 mins and prepared another 4 cups of wylers beef boullion. I fished out the stewed tomatoes that didn't fall apart, cut them up and threw everything in the crock. I also threw in half a fresh jalapeño, another bay leaf and a whole garlic and a cup of pearled barley. This soup is so yummy had to write my review! Thank you for the recipe!
01/15/2006
Delicious! I had never made a beef soup from scratch, and this was relatively easy and VERY tastey! My 2 young brothers-in-law LOVED it.
10/19/2002
This soup is outstanding. The whole family enjoyed it. Took the suggestion of putting the tomatoes in the blender - kid friendlier!
10/09/2011
This soup is so good! This is a very hearty soup. I Will reduce the amount of veggies and increase the liquid next time. It has such a wonderful taste, thanks for sharing.
10/19/2008
I cut the recipe by half and used beef stew meat. I did not use a crock pot (since I don't like beef that falls apart...like when cooked in a crock pot). I browned the meat in a pot and removed them along with the juices. I sweated chopped carrots/celery/onion in a the same pot, so I could get all the leftover brown bits. I then added the barley, beef with juices, canned tomatoes (juice included), frozen corn, a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 cup water, 1 can beef broth and let everything simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the barley was done. This turned out very hearty and tasty. I liked how the stew meat kept its form and had some texture still. Will make this again.
04/23/2007
I just made this soup today and my family loves it! Even my picky kids had seconds! This is a keeper!
01/12/2010
I thought soup was excellent. Two suggestions: when adding the barley to the crockpot, add some hot broth, at least a cup - that way the barley doesn't soak up the fat from the roast. I let the barley mixture sit in the fridge overnight and was able to take all of the fat off the top once it solidified. I would also use diced tomatoes, just because my husband doesn't like whole tomatoes, and also I needed to add more water and bouillion, otherwise it would have been porridge like. Fantastic recipe, will make again for sure. I used pearl barley, but my uncle told me I should have used pot barley, anyone else have a recommendation? The recipe makes a lot, I have 3 containers that I have frozen for quick meals at a later date.
01/03/2012
As recommended by other reviewers, I used stew meat that I cut into smaller pieces. I cooked the soup for 10hours on low, added the barley, then accidentally left the crock on warm overnight. It still tasted superb! I also added a dash of Worcestershire.
02/03/2007
This is an exceptional soup! Very easy as well as delicious. I have made this soup several times now and my family never tires of it. I do use beef broth instead of the water and bouillon, and do not bother with the additional vegetables, as the frozen ones are sufficient and makes the recipe even easier. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread!
03/01/2006
This is a great tasting recipe we'll be making for years to come. I added all the ingredients listed at the beginning, turned the crockpot on low, and let it go until I got home in the evening (about 11 hours). I removed the bayleaf, skimmed the fat off the top, and shredded the beef and put it back in the pot. The soup was still pretty greasy, so next time (time permitting) I'd like to cool it completely before shredding the meat, and pull the fat off the top when it is solidified.
01/07/2011
This was fantastic. I did throw everything in to cook all day, save for the barley - which I threw in about 90 minutes before we ate. (Hubby was 30 minutes late home from work.) I also removed the salt completely and replaced with a couple teaspoons of cayenne pepper and a splash of Worcestershire Sauce. It gave it a really nice flavor and kick. This was also even better as leftovers!
10/09/2007
This is SOOOO good! Its a shame that we've been having an Indian summer here in Jersey.. this is the perfect fall soup! And its really more like a stew..nice and thick..sticks to the ribs! I made this in my crock pot. I used a large can of Beef Broth instead of bouillon.. the broth measured to about 5 cups, so I upped the barley to 1 cup. I didn't have a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, so I subbed some frozen peas which worked out really great. I used stew meat instead of the roast and it was just fine. I also added the barley in at the very beginning and it wasn't mushy at all. I set my crock pot on high for 7 hours and it turned out just perfect. I will definitely make this again.. especially when its nice and chilly out!
09/25/2000
Has a wonderful sweet taste. I could hardly believe when my 2 year old asked for seconds!! Very hearty and filling. You'll want to freeze some because it makes a lot. And be sure not to omit the barley, it really makes this dish.
10/23/2003
I've been using this recipe for a couple of years now. This is the best Fall meal anyone has ever devised. I cannot believe the requests I've gotten for this the last couple of years. This is, quite possibly, the best soup ever created. I put a touch more barley in it and make it more of a stew, but still alot of liquid. Oh, my God, thank you to the original maker of this soup. It's become a staple on Super Bowl Sunday for us. And, I make it just about now, late October, to tease our friends and family. This is just a great meal, and thank you, whoever posted it first. It's the best.
12/07/2005
WOW!! Next time I will increase the both by 1-2 cups. It was FANTASTIC - even better the second day. Great way to use up all those left over small bags of frozen veggies in the freezer.
12/03/2011
I am just about to do the final 20 minutes of cooking and all I have to say is that even if this is the best tasting soup to ever cross my lips it will never be made again. It was far too much work and the measurements too vague... what size carrot/celery/onion (1 cup worth, 2 cups??????) Plus, I shouldn't need a slow cooker AND giant stock pot to make a soup. Wow, took a quick taste test for salt and pepper, totally overwhelmed by tomatoe now I see why the sugar! Sorry.
01/27/2002
This is the best Beef Barley Vegetable soup I have ever made. It is easy and extremely tastey!!! Shared with friends and family and everyone loved this soup. I HIGHLY recommend! KAS
10/08/2013
ive used this recipe as a base to go from..but this is by far the best one to do this with!! I don't put in any frozen veggies or tomatoes or sugar..i use carrots, celery, red onion an add 2 pkgs of the onion soup mix, lotsa pepper, lil paprika..excellent soup! thanks fer posting! definitely a go to-er..
01/10/2011
I followed other reviewers and put everything in a crockpot at once but added the barley (doubled amount) during the last hour. I also added cubed potatoes at the beginning. I would have given this more stars if the recipe called for more seasoning. I didn't follow the advice of others who suggested adding thyme and oregano but I wish I did. Otherwise this a good, hearty soup.
12/29/2002
This was excellent! It took time to cook and certainly filled a 6-quart slow cooker to the top! Very nice for a crowd or when leftovers are desired. I did make a few changes, based on what was on hand: used leftover beef which had been cooked in a sauce on the sweet side so did not add sugar nor oil; used 1 c. barley and added 4 cups additonal beef broth; added fresh thyme sprigs and used 2 bay leaves. Definitely a keeper!
08/14/2012
Absolutely the best vegetable beef soup I have ever made!! I stayed pretty true to the recipe. I had a hot grill available the night before I was going to make this soup, so I seasoned the chuck roast with salt & pepper and seared it on both sides on the grill. I placed the roast in the bottom of the crock pot and added all ingredients except the barley and placed in refrigerator overnight. I left the carrots & celery in larger chunks so they would not break down. I placed the crock in the pot and set it to low before going to work the next morning. When I got home about 9½ hours later, I removed the chuck (it was in 4 large pieces) and added the barley. While the barley was cooking, I shredded the beef. It was cooked perfectly, fork tender and moist, but not falling apart and the vegetable in the larger chunks were tender without disintegrating. I added the beef back to the pot and dinner was ready! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
01/30/2005
This is awesome. I make some changes... I throw the meat into a crockpot, add all the veggies and broth.... everything except the barley. Then I cook it on low for about 9 hours. Turn the crockpot off, add the barley, replace the lid and let it sit for another hour... PERFECT everytime! I also add a lot of crushed red pepper flakes on top of the meat and this gives it a lot of spice, which we like.
10/31/2011
Great soup! I threw all the ingredients together in crock pot and cooked for 10 hours like another reviewer suggested. I added barley during last the 1/2hr. Perfection. Thanks!
10/23/2003
This was a wonderful, flavourful soup! I used 2 lbs of stewing meat and threw everything in the crock pot. I only had a 19oz can of tomatoes (which I whizzed with my hand blender), and added half a can of tomato sauce to make up for it. The soup was rich and hearty, and was perfect for a cold night. I think I'll add more barley next time, but other than that, no changes necessary. Great recipe.
08/24/2005
A shortcut to this recipe is to use your pot roast leftovers from dinner. The slow cooked beef flavor, the seasoning, the carrots and potatoes and onions, are all there already, with their fantastic slow-cooked flavor. Just add barley (and necessary liquid for it to cook in),tomatoes, and add additional frozen vegetables like peas or mixed veggies. Instead of sauteeing celery, you can sprinkle in celery seed. Simmer according to directions on the barley. This is a no-sweat supper for sure!
03/01/2003
This was just like Mom's. I added shredded green cabbage, extra boullion and some extra water. It was still thick, more like a stew. Just how I like it.
12/06/2001
it was awesome i have three girls two of which are very picky they wouldnt eat it (boy did they miss out!!!)our two year old loved it she doent eat anything either. we cooked it up in a stock pot instead of a crock.. replaced the tomatoes with two cans beef broth and four beef boullion cubes and i love barley so i made it with 1 1/2 cups. and a half tsp. pre crushed garlic a little bit of ingrediant swapping but it was fantastic and easy to make the hubby made as i sat at the table and dictated.... it was fun
02/19/2001
I REALLY liked this recipe! I cooked the meat as directed then took it off the bone. Put all the other goodies back in the crockpot and cooked it on low for another 4 hours. Deepened the flavor. I will surely make this over and over again! Thanks Margo!
09/18/2010
This soup is awesome tasting. My husband even commented on how great it tasted. It takes a lot for him to do that. I followed the recipe as written originally.
03/03/2011
Exactly what I was looking for--yum! I made the stove top version (about 3 hours total), and the only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that the recipe needs more liquid or it's more of a stew. Here are a few things I did for ease and preferences: cut up chuck roast, brown in olive oil add onion, garlic & celery & cook 2 min. add everything else but barley omit frozen veggies--add cubed potato & extra carrots less sugar ( only 1/2 tsp.) 7 cups beef broth 2 14 oz cans diced tom. (1 diced w/garlic & olive oil) 1 tsp. worsesteshire add barley 1 hour out--perfect!
05/30/2011
LOVED IT! I did take advice from other reviewers and used stew meat, replaced water & bullion with beef broth and skipped the sugar. Also put everything in at once and cooked for 10 hours on low, adding pearl barley an hour before it was done. The flavor was amazing and I will be making this again and again. It was so easy! i was a little concerned at how thick it was, but it was perfect.
09/22/2014
I got rave reviews from the family when serving this soup! I followed the method of dumping all ingredients, except for the barley and salt into the crock pot, then adding barley and salt at the end until cooked. Wonderful!
10/30/2006
I altered this a bit and it was absolutely fantastic! My husband doesn't like cooked veggies so I was afraid that he wouldn't like it, but he loved it! I cooked this on top of the stove for several hours. First, I left out the frozen veggies. I used 3 lbs of stew meat (did not brown) instead of the roast. I increased the broth using 4 cups of ready-to-use Swanson's Beef Broth, 1 10.5 oz can of Campbells Beef Broth double-strength (did not dilute), and one 14 oz can of Swanson Lower Sodium beef broth. I also increased Barley & used 2 cups of Quick Cooking Barley during the last 20 mins. A keeper!
11/06/2003
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I doubled the barley and added zucchini and yellow squash. This one's going to become a regular!
03/13/2012
Brilliant! I made a few changes (which I never usually do): 1. Took the advice of of another reviewer and seasoned the meat with s&p, then browned the meat first in a skillet with the onion and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce 2. After meat was brown, threw all the ingredients in the pot together and covered them with water (instead of just 1 cup of water). I did add the barley separately though. 3. Omitted the stock cubes and oil 4. Added 5 bay leaves 5. Added 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder It looks like a lot of changes, but because I left out the stock cubes, I had to compensate them with stronger flavours in other areas. I ended up adding quite a lot of salt and pepper to make up for the absence of the cubes. Anyway, it's a fantastic recipe, and lasted me 4 days
09/18/2011
Lovely taste, but be careful with the Barley... I added to much and had gloup!
12/07/2013
This is our favorite soup - I use stew meat and throw everything in the crock pot. (I will add extra veggies if I have them on hand - potatoes, rutabagas, etc) Make some fresh bread and we have a favorite meal for the cold Wisconsin nights!
01/14/2011
Great flavor. I followed the amended recipe, and it turned out wonderfully. The only change I'll make next time is to add another bag of vegetables.
10/17/2004
This was delicious. I used stew meat, beef broth, and less barley. I threw everything in the crockpot. Added the barley and veggies about 2 hours before it was done.
12/13/2006
my changes: used merlot instead of water. used beef broth, fresh mushrooms, celery & greenbeans. very good soup!!
01/16/2004
Made it for 50 people at work and WOW was it great! (One guy had 4 helpings!) Used italian style tomatoes, boxed beef broth, diced stew meat and canned green chilies for ease. 15 people asked for the recipe including my boss! Left overs are even better. Definite keeper and will make it again and again. Thanks Margo!!!!
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13023/beef-barley-vegetable-soup/
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