Start by placing the chuckroast in to slow cooker and cooking until tender. This will take about 4 1/2hours on high.
Adding bay leaf and barley for the last hour of cooking, and then take out the meat and chop it up into small pieces. Get rid of the bay leaf.
In a large pot on medium heat, warm your oil. Add in onions, celery, frozen mixed vegetables, and carrots, and sauté until tender.
Add sugar, black pepper, beef boiling cubes, water, stewed tomatoes, and the mixture of beef and barley.
Cook all of that until it starts to boil, and then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 10-20 minutes.Add in salt and additional pepper to season.