Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
Cuisine: European, British
Ingredients: – 1-½ to 2 tablespoons olive oil; – 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes; – 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces; – 4 medium carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces; – 1 small onion, diced small; – 3 stalks celery, diced small; – 6 cloves garlic, minced; – 2 quarts beef broth, divided; – 1-½ teaspoons dried thyme; – 1 – 15-ounce can diced tomatoes; – ¾ cup barley, rinsed; – Salt and pepper, to taste