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Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Prep 20 min
Total 9 hr 50 min
Servings 8

Cook up something with stick-to-your-ribs substance when the weather turns cold: This beef and barley slow-cooker stew, packed with veggies, tender beef, and soft barley is your new go-to comfort food soup. Set your slow-cooker on low in the morning and by evening, dinner is served. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

January 13, 2016

Ingredients

1 1/2

lb beef stew meat

medium carrots, sliced (1 1/2 cups)

large onion, chopped (1 cup)

cloves garlic, finely chopped

2/3

cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

2/3

cup uncooked pearl barley

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon pepper

can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

5 1/4

cups Progresso™ beef flavored broth (from two 32-oz containers)

cup frozen sweet peas, thawed

Steps

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1

Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix all ingredients except peas.
2

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 9 to 10 hours.
3

Stir in peas. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes longer or until peas are tender.

Expert Tips

To store this soup for later, refrigerate in a shallow container so it cools rapidly. Once completely cooled, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To freeze this soup, pour into freezer containers, leaving 1/4 - 1/2 inch headspace (because soups expand as they freeze) and store for up to 6 months.
Want to take your slow-cooker meal to an outing? Simply wrap the slow-cooker in a towel or newspaper to keep it warm. Attach rubber bands around the handles to secure it for travel.
Pearl barley, its most common form, is the perfect slow cooker grain. The long, slow cook time turns barley tender, yet not gummy.
Select lean beef to prevent having to trim excess fat before adding the beef to the soup.