Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes in a single layer — you may need to do this in two batches. Sear the meat for 2–3 minutes per side until it develops a rich, dark brown crust. You’ll hear a satisfying sizzle, and the kitchen will fill with the smell of caramelising meat. Transfer the browned beef to the crockpot insert.

Sweat the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the same pan. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and glossy. The carrots should look slightly softened at the edges. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan — that’s pure flavour. Tip the vegetables into the crockpot.

Add the aromatics: Stir the minced garlic, tomato purée, bay leaves, dried thyme, and smoked paprika into the crockpot with the beef and vegetables. Give everything a good mix so the spices coat the meat evenly. The tomato purée will turn a deeper brick-red colour as it blends with the other ingredients.

Pour in the liquids: Add the rinsed pearl barley, the chopped tomatoes, and the beef stock. Stir well to combine, ensuring the barley is submerged beneath the liquid. The soup will look quite watery at this stage — don’t worry, the barley will absorb a lot as it cooks.

Slow cook low and slow: Place the lid on the crockpot and set it to low for 6–8 hours (or high for 3–4 hours). After about 3 hours on low, you’ll notice a wonderful, savoury aroma drifting through the house — that’s the barley swelling and the beef tenderising. The soup should be gently bubbling around the edges.

Check for doneness: After 6 hours on low, remove the lid. The beef should be so tender that it shreds easily when pressed with a fork. The barley will have plumped up into soft, slightly chewy pearls, and the broth will have thickened into a rich, silky texture. Fish out the bay leaves and discard them.

Season and rest: Taste the broth and add salt and pepper as needed. Remember that the flavours will continue to deepen as the soup sits. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes with the lid off — this allows the steam to settle and the barley to absorb any remaining liquid, giving you a perfectly thick consistency.

Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley. The parsley adds a pop of bright green colour and a fresh finish that balances the rich, beefy broth. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.