Preheat the oven to 400°F

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on it. Lay the strips of bacon on the wire rack, transfer the rack to the oven and cook the bacon until it is crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Reduce the oven temperature to 275°

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and the sausages. Cook the sausages, turning them to brown evenly. Transfer the sausages to a plate to cool as they brown and when they are cool cut them in 2-3 pieces each.

Using the sausage skillet, lightly cook the onion slices until they are barely soft but not colored. You may need to add a little more bacon drippings.

Layer the bacon, sausage and onions in the bottom of a large, oven-proof casserole dish or Dutch oven. Add fresh ground pepper to each layer. Add the leeks, herbs and garlic. Sprinkle the barley around the edges and add the carrots and potatoes on the top. Pour in the beef broth and bring the pot to a boil. Cover the pot with the lid and transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 3 hours or until the potatoes are tender.