Begin by washing and peeling your carrots, then dice them into small, even pieces. Chop the celery and onion, and mince the garlic until fragrant.

In a large crockpot, add the beef stew meat along with the diced carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic. Pour in the beef broth and diced tomatoes, then stir in the pearl barley, dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Mix well to ensure all ingredients are coated.

Set your crockpot to low and let the soup develop its rich flavors for 8 to 10 hours. Alternatively, cook on high for about 4 to 5 hours.

Once cooking is complete, carefully remove the bay leaves from the crockpot. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle the hearty soup into bowls and serve alongside crusty bread or a fresh salad.