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Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped carrots, celery, and garlic to the leftover oil and fond in the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until fragrant.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Scrape the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker insert along with the tomato paste, rinsed pearl barley, 4 cups beef broth, bay leaves, and generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
Stir Well: Give everything a good stir in the slow cooker to evenly distribute the ingredients and coat the beef and barley with the broth and seasonings.
Cook on Low:
Cover the slow cooker and set to low heat. Cook for 6-8 hours, checking occasionally, until beef is fork-tender and barley is soft but still has a pleasant chewy texture.
Remove Bay Leaves: Use a spoon or tongs to fish out and discard the bay leaves, which have imparted flavor.
Taste and Adjust: Have a taste of the soup broth and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, etc to suit your preferences.
Serve Warm: Ladle the hot soup carefully into bowls. Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy this hearty soup immediately while warm.
Cooking Tips:
Look for stew beef or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes for the best texture.
Browning the beef first adds deeper flavor.
Rinsing the barley removes excess starch for a less cloudy soup.
