The excitement & frenetic activity of the holidays is over and we’re settling down into a New Year. I like to start the new year off with soups & stews that warm us up from the inside and help us stay healthy (or get better!) when it is cold & wet outside and illness causing viruses are everywhere.

Beef & Barley Soup is a long-time favorite of mine. I remember it as being my go-to winter lunch as a teenager. Back then, the soup always came out of a can. I was not into making meals from scratch all those years ago. These days, I am more willing to take the time to cook from scratch to eat better quality meals and avoid highly processed foods. While time is still at a premium, our Instant Pot that doubles as a slow-cooker helps out in that regard. In under a half hour, I can prep all the ingredients first thing in the morning then have the Instant Pot do the job of cooking and simmering the soup all day. And we get a hearty, homemade meal in the evening!

Beef & Barley Soup

Slow-Cooker Beef & Barley Soup (adapted from delish.com) Total Time Required: 8 hours, 20 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Hands-On Cook Time: 15 minutes, Makes  4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, (about 6 ounces) cut into half moons
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup pearled or instant barley
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season them generously with salt and black pepper.

Salt & pepper the beef.

If using an Instant Pot, set it to saute on the high setting. Drizzle in some olive oil then add the meat and sear until it is browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Brown the meat.

Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and reduce the heat to medium.

Remove the meat from the Instant Pot.

Add the garlic, onions, carrots, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Stir the veggies occasionally and cook them for 3 – 4 minutes.

Saute the onion & carrots.

Return the meat to the pot and add the mushrooms, barley, stock, and soy sauce to it. Set the pot to normal in slow cooker mode and set the time for 8 hours.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot.

Serve immediately when time is up.

This is way better than canned soup!

To use a traditional slow cooker: Preheat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Drizzle in some olive oil then add the meat and sear it until browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to medium on the skillet. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the skillet. Scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned meat bits and cook the veggies for 3 to 4 minutes. If needed, add a splash of water to fully deglaze the pan. Transfer the onion-carrot mixture to the slow cooker. Add the mushrooms, barley, stock, and soy sauce to it. Set the pot on low and set the time for 8 hours. Serve immediately when time is up.

Making meals from scratch is a wonderful use of my time!  ~Linda

Slow-Cooker Beef & Barley Soup (adapted from delish.com) Total Time Required: 8 hours, 20 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Hands-On Cook Time: 15 minutes, Makes  4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, (about 6 ounces) cut into half moons
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup pearled or instant barley
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season them generously with salt and black pepper.

If using an Instant Pot, set it to saute on the high setting. Drizzle in some olive oil then add the meat and sear it until it is browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Stir the veggies occasionally and cook them for 3 – 4 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and add the mushrooms, barley, stock, and soy sauce to it. Set the pot to normal in slow cooker mode and set the time for 8 hours. Serve immediately when time is up.

To use a traditional slow cooker: Preheat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Drizzle in some olive oil then add the meat and sear until it is browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to medium on the skillet. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the skillet. Scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned meat bits and cook the veggies for 3 to 4 minutes. If needed, add a splash of water to fully deglaze the pan. Transfer the onion-carrot mixture to the slow cooker. Add the mushrooms, barley, stock, and soy sauce to it. Set the pot on low and set the time for 8 hours. Serve immediately when time is up.