TheLadyEve: It was 108F in my neighborhood today and I temporarily have no refrigerator. Seeing this makes me so conflicted because I want it but I know in this weather it would be a miserable meal. Come October, I’ll be making a bathtub of this stuff.
DougEECummings: Full recipe from [TipHero](https://tiphero.com/slow-cooker-beef-barley-soup/)
**SLOW COOKER BEEF BARLEY SOUP**
Serves 8 to 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
**You’ll Need**
–1-½ to 2 tablespoons olive oil
–2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
–4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
–4 medium carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces
–1 small onion, diced small
–3 stalks celery, diced small
–6 cloves garlic, minced
–2 quarts beef broth, divided
–1-½ teaspoons dried thyme
–1 – 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
–¾ cup barley, rinsed
–Salt and pepper, to taste
**How To**
1. Generously season the cubed beef with salt and pepper.
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about half of the oil. Working in batches, sear beef on all sides, using more oil as needed. Transfer the seared beef to a 6-quart slow cooker.
1. Return the skillet to the heat and add 1 cup of beef broth. Heat to a boil and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add to slow cooker.
1. Add the potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, diced tomatoes, barley and remaining beef broth to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
1. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with fresh parsley or thyme.
littlesoubrette: I know the appeal of slow cookers, but with a recipe like this it’s actually *less work* to brown the meat in a large pot and then simmer the whole thing in the same pot. You could even cook the veggies in the pan after the meat for even more flavor.
This recipe seems like it uses a slow cooker just to say it uses a slow cooker, not because the slow cooker actually makes the recipe faster or easier. I’m a fan of slow cookers, but stew is already a one-pot meal and this just complicates it.
ExtraPlus: Yeah bitch, scrape that fond. *Hellllllll yeah.*
I-Am-Your-Mom-82: Mmmmmmm
Trashcommander: Tiphero is up there with mealthy in terrible names.