Free recipe
Beef & Barley Stew
Built around stewing beef and pearl barley -- the method starts by patting the beef dry.
This soup beef & barley stew builds its flavor from stewing beef, pearl barley and carrots, and comes together in about 25 minutes with medium-level technique. The method starts by patting the beef dry.
Ready in 25 minutes -- genuinely doable on a weeknight.
A few technique steps to focus on, but nothing that needs special equipment.
Built around stewing beef, so the flavor comes from real ingredients, not a spice packet.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) stewing beef, cubed
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp oil, 2 bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
Calculated from this recipe's own ingredient list; treat as an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Method
Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef in batches on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Do not crowd the pan. Remove the beef.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 6 minutes until softened, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Return the beef with the stock, barley, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook gently on low about 1.5 hours, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender and the barley is plump.
Check the seasoning and add a splash of water if too thick.
Remove the bay leaves and serve hot with crusty bread.
The step worth not rushing: Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef in batches on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Do not crowd the pan. Remove the beef.
