Servings: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high
Ingredients
- 700 g beef for braising, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, diced into 1.5 cm cubes
- 2 stalks celery, diced into 1.5 cm cubes
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced
- 125 ml (½ cup) dry pearl barley, rinsed
- 1 398 ml can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1.5 L (6 cups) reduced-sodium beef broth
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) tomato paste
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) red wine vinegar
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. In a hot skillet, brown the beef in oil until it is nicely browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, sauté the onion and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, then continue cooking for 1 minute. Deglaze with some of the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen the browned bits.
- Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Add the carrots, celery, pearl barley, diced tomatoes with their juice, the remaining broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir gently.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef and barley are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the red wine vinegar and fresh parsley. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
- If the soup is too thick, gradually add boiling water, 125 ml (½ cup) at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Serve piping hot.
