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Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

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A cozy, hearty slow cooker stew featuring tender beef chuck and chewy pearl barley, perfect for comforting winter meals and easy last-minute dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
  • Black pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, for browning beef)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water until the water runs clear. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion, and mince the garlic. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels.
  2. Optional: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches, about 5 minutes per batch, then transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Add chopped carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, and rinsed pearl barley to the slow cooker over the beef.
  4. In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Pour over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
  5. Nestle bay leaves and thyme sprigs on top without stirring.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until beef is fork-tender and barley is plump but not mushy. If stew is too thin, remove lid in the last 30 minutes to thicken.
  7. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving. Adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

Browning the beef before slow cooking adds flavor but is optional. Rinsing barley prevents gummy texture. If stew is too thin, cook uncovered for last 30 minutes to thicken. Leftovers improve in flavor after a day and can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker, beef stew, barley stew, comfort food, easy dinner, hearty meal, crockpot recipe

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/slow-cooker-beef-and-barley-stew-recipe-easy-hearty-comfort-meal/