Hearty Beef Barley Vegetable Stew (Printer-friendly)

Rich stew combining tender beef, pearl barley, and fresh vegetables for a comforting meal.

# What You’ll 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 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 pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
04 - Return browned beef to the pot. Add diced potatoes, green beans, diced tomatoes with juice, pearl barley, beef broth, water, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The barley soaks up all the beefy, herby broth and turns creamy without any cream.
  • Its the kind of stew that tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to settle in.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are lurking in your crisper drawer and it still works.
  • One pot does all the work, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
02 -
  • Dont skip browning the beef, even if youre in a hurry, because that step builds half the flavor.
  • If the stew looks too thick after an hour, add more water a half cup at a time until it loosens up.
  • Let it sit for ten minutes off the heat before serving so the barley finishes soaking up the broth.
03 -
  • Use a heavy pot with a tight lid so the steam stays trapped and the beef gets tender faster.
  • Taste the stew halfway through and adjust the salt, because the broth and tomatoes can vary wildly in sodium.
  • If you want it thicker, mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot and stir them back in.

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