Perfect recipe and easy to make. Everyone loved it. Hits the spot on a cold winter day

I added 4 cups of beef broth, 3 cups of water, 2 tsps of ground thyme, and reduced the salt by 1/4 (hubby has high bp). I added a can of Northern beans, and cooked the soup for 10 hours on low. The soup came out out so thick and rich. Yummy!

My mom made the best beef barley soup but never had a recipe. She just tossed stuff in, so I tried to find something similar. This is what I did and it was much like my mom's. I browned some beef on a large marrow bone( not sure which cut- my husband picked it up) in olive oil. I added salt, pepper, garlic powder and fresh cut garlic and sautee'd for a bit. I added three stalks of cut up celery and some fresh mushrooms as well. I put the meat/bone mixture in a crockpot, added carrots and a handful of fresh parsley. I substituted the green onion and added one onion cut up in large chunks. Then poured in two cans of beef broth and filled the crock pot the rest of the way up ( minus 2 inches) with water. I cooked on low for 8 hours. I then added 1/2 cup of barley and a can of drained butter beans. I cooked on low for an addtional hour and it tasted just like my mom's soup. I love the flavor , as it reminds me of what I had growing up. At first the broth is thin and I love it that way but if it just sets a bit after you turn off the heat, it thickens up and I love it that way as well. I rate my own a 4.

A nice budget friendly, easy soup for a cool winter day. I only had quick cooking barley, so I added it in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

There is only one thing I would add.....steak sauce! Just a few dashes (depending on how large your slow cooker is) and it spices up any blandness that is in there! Use the spicy A1 steak sauce for any needed kick. I tend to eyeball it. I have a small slowcooker, since there is only me and my fiance....but we both love it!

This was a great recipe my only change was I used venison cooked with onions and a little steak seasoning. Served at a company meeting lunch WOW what a hit. Thanks

This is such an easy recipe! I've made it with the beef and without and it's just as good. I did adjust the seasonings a bit to my taste but that's the only change I made. I'm looking forward to making it more often this winter!

This is a great beef barley soup recipe! I wouldn't change a thing! I did have to, though. I didn't have enough beef stock so I used beef boullion. That was fine. I also wanted to try my fresh herbs instead of the dried thyme. Other than those very minor changes, this was fantastic and very easy to make. My fiance had never had beef barley and was kind of skeptical of it and he now is a big fan of the stuff and wants more of it!

Excellent recipe! I used more garlic powder and just a bit more salt because I am really into seasoning. Otherwise I followed this recipe as is and it was a hit at my house. The only disappointment was that there weren't any leftovers!

Very good

I thought this was a great recipe. I followed the recipe exactly, but added some fresh sauteed mushrooms (personal preference). Thanks! PS--LOTS of leftovers...

I've made this a couple times now. 1st time with condensed soup and 2nd with broth (Swanson's)...I should have done as told. The condensed gives it much more flavor! I just toss frozen stew meat, broth, garlic and onion in slow cooker on high for a few hours. Then I add celery, carrots (extra!), thyme, pepper and barley. Let it go on low for a few more hours and we all devour it!!! Thanks for the great recipe!

My husband and I loved this soup. I did however make some minor changes. First, I added one beef soup bone, I find that this always helps add more flavor to any soup. Second I used 2 cups of water, 2 cups of beef broth, and 2 cups of chicken broth to balance the flavors. Also, I added fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Last, I only used 1/2 a cup of barley and I added the barley 2hrs. before serving it. The first time I made this soup I added the barley in the beginning the barley ended up mushy.

This is a great recipe. I add a couple of bay leaves and 1 each chicken and beef bouillion cubes to balances the flavor of the canned beef broth. I also leave out the green onions, but thats just because I don't like onions of any sort.

This was pretty good, and very easy to put together. But it seemed to be missing something. Am going to play with seasongs a bit. But even so I would make it again as it is a great healthy and filling meal on a chilly winter day!

I used chopped white onion, instead of the green onion. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. Great way to used leftover pot roast, steak, etc.!