Hearty Beef Barley Stew (Printer-friendly)

A comforting blend of beef, barley, and vegetables simmered to tender perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Grains

02 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
07 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
08 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Liquids & Broth

11 - 6 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
12 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Herbs

13 - 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 2 bay leaves
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides in batches if needed. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
04 - Return the browned beef to the pot. Add diced potatoes, green beans, undrained diced tomatoes, rinsed pearl barley, beef broth, water, salt, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Stir well.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is tender and barley is cooked through.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The barley soaks up all the rich beefy broth and gets plump and tender, making every spoonful hearty and satisfying.
  • You can walk away while it simmers, and come back to a pot that smells like youve been cooking all day.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to marry together in the fridge.
02 -
  • If you skip browning the beef, the stew will taste flat and one note, so take the extra ten minutes to get that caramelization going.
  • Barley keeps absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if you plan to have leftovers, add a splash of broth when you reheat or itll be too thick.
  • Dont lift the lid too often while its simmering or you lose steam and add time to the cook, just trust the process and let it do its thing.
03 -
  • Use a heavy bottomed pot so the heat distributes evenly and nothing scorches on the bottom during the long simmer.
  • If the beef isnt fork tender after two hours, just keep simmering with the lid on until it falls apart, low and slow always wins.
  • Taste the stew at the very end and add a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice if it needs a lift, acidity wakes everything up.

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