Beef & Barley Soup Crock Pot

### Directions:
1. **Brown the Beef (Optional)**: While you can skip this step for convenience, browning the beef adds extra flavor to the soup. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until it’s seared on all sides, then transfer it to the crock pot. This step adds richness to the final dish, but if you’re short on time, you can simply add the raw beef directly to the crock pot.

2. **Combine All Ingredients in the Crock Pot**: Add the beef (whether browned or not) to the crock pot. Next, toss in the rinsed barley, diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Stir to combine everything.

3. **Season the Soup**: Add the bay leaf, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and season with salt and pepper. Stir everything together to make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed.

4. **Set the Crock Pot**: Cover and cook on **low** for 7-8 hours or **high** for 4-5 hours, until the beef is tender and the barley has softened. The flavors will meld beautifully as the soup simmers.

5. **Taste & Adjust**: Once the soup is done cooking, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

6. **Serve & Enjoy**: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. This soup is fantastic on its own, but you can also pair it with crusty bread for a complete meal.

### Tips & Variations:
– **Make It Extra Veggie-Packed**: Feel free to add other vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, or green beans for an even heartier soup.
– **For a Lighter Option**: Use leaner cuts of beef or swap out the beef for turkey for a lighter take on the recipe.
– **Freezing for Later**: Beef & Barley Soup freezes beautifully. Just let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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This **Beef & Barley Soup Crock Pot** recipe is the ultimate comfort food—perfect for cozying up with on chilly evenings. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to develop into something truly delicious, and the simplicity of the crock pot makes it an easy, hands-off meal. Whether you’re feeding your family or meal prepping for the week, this soup will be a go-to in your recipe rotation.