Lazy Girl Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

Here's an easy soup to make for a cold weekend, or a busy weekday dinner.
Set up your crock pot and head out for some fun... or work. 

I will admit it's a bit weird for me to include ketchup in any recipe, however, this recipe just called for a little sweetness and tang that ketchup easily adds.  We both agreed, the ketchup added something.
And... that... is... not... something you hear me say everyday.

I bought a very cheap cut of beef, a tip steak or bottom round, I think.  But you could use chili stew meat, or even leftovers like pot roast, or steak would work. 

Serves about 6-8
Ingredients

8 cups beef stock
1 1/2 lb beef, seared then cubed
1-2 Tbsp oil
3/4 cup barley, uncooked
1 onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced, or sliced
1 cup celery, diced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup red wine (or water)
1/4 cup ketchup, or a couple tablespoons of tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas (add at the end)
Salt & Pepper 
Chopped parsley, if desired


Heat a pan over high heat.  
Meanwhile, salt and pepper both sides of the meat. Add oil to a pan and sear the meat on both sides, cooking for 1-2 minutes each side.  Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. 

(Below is the meat before I cut the strips into chunks)

Add a 1/2 cup of red wine to the pan to deglaze it and get the pan juices released.  Add the liquid to your crockpot.  Cut up the beef into small chunks for the soup. Add to the crockpot.
Add in the following:  beef stock, onions, carrots, celery, dry barley. Cook on Low for about 7-8 hours.
Taste and add salt and pepper, add ketchup or tomato paste, frozen peas and chopped parsley if using.  Heat for another 15 minutes and serve.

Here's what it looked like before I set the temperature on the crockpot and headed out for the day...

Here's a bunch more Lazy Girl Crock Pot Recipes:

40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Black Bean Chili
Mamacita's Mexican Chicken and Dumplings
Tuscan Pot Roast

Chicken with Coconut, Lime & Peanut Sauce
Greek Pork and Garbanzo Stew
Hot Links, Red Beans and Rice
Salsa Chicken
Sesame Chicken