Beef and Barley Stew (Printer-friendly)

A hearty, rustic stew featuring tender beef, nutty barley, sweet carrots, and aromatic thyme, simmered to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

06 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low sodium beef broth
08 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, 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 in batches, browning on all sides. Remove browned beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Return beef to the pot.
04 - Add beef broth, barley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
05 - Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marriage of tender beef and chewy barley creates this magical texture that somehow makes you feel secure, like a culinary hug on the coldest days.
  • Its practically two meals in one since it always tastes better the second day, something I discovered after falling asleep before dinner was ready and waking to an even more flavorful pot in the morning.
02 -
  • Browning the meat in small batches was a game-changer I only embraced after ruining an entire pot by overcrowding and essentially steaming the meat instead of searing it.
  • The stew needs that full two hours of simmering to properly break down the tough beef fibers and allow the barley to release its starch, creating that perfect thickened consistency without adding flour.
03 -
  • If your stew is too thin at the end of cooking, smash a few pieces of carrot and beef against the side of the pot and stir them back in, a trick my chef friend taught me that thickens without changing the flavor profile.
  • For a richer color and depth of flavor, I sometimes brush the beef cubes with a mixture of soy sauce and honey before browning them, a midnight inspiration that came after watching a cooking competition show.