Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 beef chuck roast , 3 pound
• 0.5 cups barley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 carrots , chopped
• 3 stalks celery , chopped
• 1 onion , chopped
• 1 package frozen mixed vegetables , 16 ounce
• 4 cups water
• 1 can chopped stewed tomatoes , 28 ounce
• 4 cubess beef bouillon cube
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 0.25 teaspoons ground black pepper , or more to taste
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. Cook on High until tender, 4 to 5 hours. Add barley and bay leaf during the last hour of cooking.

2. 2

   Remove meat; chop into bite-size pieces. Discard bay leaf. Set beef, broth, and barley aside.

3. 3

   Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Sauté carrots, celery, onion, and frozen mixed vegetables until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. 4

   Add water, stewed tomatoes, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and beef-barley-broth mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Season with salt and pepper before serving.