Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs Ground Beef (85/15 suggested)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 3 medium Carrots, chopped into ½-inch rounds
  • 3 Celery stalks, chopped about ¼-inch thick
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 6 cups low sodium Beef Broth
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • ¾ cup Pearl Barley, rinsed well
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef thoroughly, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off excess fat.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet with the beef. Cook until the onions begin to soften (about 5–7 minutes).
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir well, cooking for 1 minute to create a light roux base.
  4. Transfer the entire contents of the skillet into the slow cooker basin.
  5. Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well to combine.
  6. Add the rinsed pearl barley. Stir once more.
  7. Cover the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the beef is tender and the barley is soft and plump.
  8. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Check seasoning and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with fresh parsley before serving.