Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

By Ali Slagle

Published April 12, 2022

Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
8 hours
Rating
4(1,053)
Comments
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This recipe is inspired by the beef, leek and barley soup in “Home Cooking” (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2010), a memoir and cookbook by Laurie Colwin. It defies what you’re told you must do to make an exceptional soup: Brown your meat, add ingredients in layers, and taste as you go. Instead, just chop a few vegetables, put everything in a pot — or in this case, a slow cooker — then forget about it. This recipe builds satisfying, hearty flavors in a few key ways: The small quantity of dried mushrooms not only nods to mushroom-barley soup, but also creates an umami backdrop. Opt for chicken stock instead of beef, which is more consistently flavorful across brands. Use a collagen-rich cut of meat, like chuck or short ribs. And last, a long cook time allows flavors to deepen, without any babysitting.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 2pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 to 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (3 to 4); see Tip
  • 1quart chicken stock
  • 3medium carrots, sliced ½-inch-thick
  • 1large yellow onion, chopped
  • ½cup pearl barley
  • 2fresh thyme sprigs or 2 dried bay leaves
  • ½ounce dried porcini, crushed or chopped into small pieces
  • Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 2teaspoons apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, plus more as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

551 calories; 43 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 677 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 5-to-8-quart slow cooker, add the beef, stock, carrots, onion, barley, thyme, porcini, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 2 cups water. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low until the meat shreds when pulled with two forks, 6 to 8 hours.

  2. Step 2

    If your soup has fat on the surface, skim it with a spoon. (The amount will vary, depending on your cut of meat.) Remove and discard the thyme. If using chuck, shred the meat using two forks right in the pot; if using short ribs, transfer to a cutting board and pull the meat away from the bones. Remove any excess fat and cartilage, then chop and shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in the vinegar. If the flavors taste muted, add salt and vinegar. If it’s too mild, add more black pepper.

Tip
  • Bone-in short ribs can be pricy but will create a richer broth than chuck. While 2 pounds of short ribs will still create a very savory broth, it will result in less meat in bowls.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,053 user ratings
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Comments

Max Alexander, Rome, Contestant MasterChef Italia 2020-2021

Nobody needs a slow cooker; a Dutch oven on low heat does the same—and allows you to brown the meat first, which is better. Skip the store bought stock in this recipe; you’re making fresh stock during the slow cooking process. Instead use a mix of water and wine.

Dennis

Dutch oven placed on a rack in a 225°F (105°C) oven with the lid cracked is the advice from Serious Eata

malahat

I used dried shiitakes, because I had them at hand, and a 3-pound chunk of chuck. I trimmed off as much fat as possible. I also used chicken broth from a jarred base because again, that’s what I had on hand. Cooked it overnight, then refrigerated it till dinner time, which made the fat easier to remove. The result was deeply delicious and satisfying. Will definitely make again — maybe with homemade chicken stock, or beer instead of the water, or ….

CH

Definitely not an experienced cook so take this with a grain of salt. I thought it was really good. I doubled the barley (1cup) and added mushrooms (not needed) since I had them. I sautéed the mushrooms and onions prior, and browned the meat. Did 50% each - short rib was off the bone accidentally. The added barley makes this feel more like a stew than a soup with the added thickness. Could add celery too next time. I had to add a significant amount of salt by the end, which I had used sparingly throughout because of other comments. I wonder if they used salted broth.

Babs

I do not get why the recipe calls for chicken stock. I made it with beef stock and followed your other suggestions. thanks

Michelle O

I only had about 1/3 of the beef (frozen leftover from a past recipe) so added some tomato paste and red wine to oomph the flavour. Seared first. Oven at 325 for 2 hours and it came out lovely. Froze half as a gift to my future self.

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