How to cook slow-cooker beef and barley soup

The supplies you'll need. I used chuck steak instead of a roast for convenience, and I also didn't use the parsley because all they had at the grocery looked old & wilted.

Do the prep work first. Dice the onions.

And the carrots...

They should look about this size.

Prep the meat...

About a 1/2" to 3/4 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat and brown half of the beef, about 10 minutes, then add to the slow cooker. Repeat with 2tsp oil and the rest of the beef.

Lower heat to medium and heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the now empty skillet. Add the onions, carrots and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add a 1/2 cup of wine.

Stir in, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute...

Then pour into slow cooker.

Now it's time to add the rest of the ingredients. If you're using the exact amount of liquid called for, make sure to use EXACTLY 2/3 cup barley. Too little=too thin of a soup. Too much=too thick.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broths, thyme, and the barley to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on either low or high until the beef is tender. 6-7 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

Before serving, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. As you can see, I'm still using a twenty year old crock pot and it barely fit. The newer oval ones will offer more space.