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Beef and Barley Stew

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This wholesome and nutritious Beef and Barley Stew recipe is positively packed with FLAVOR!ย  Easy to make and great for leftovers, it’s sure to become a part of your regular meal rotation!

beef and barley stew recipe best homemade from scratch healthy

Fork tender beef, plump nutty barley, a vibrant array of vegetables, and a deliciously rich broth come together in this satisfying Beef Barley Soup recipe.ย  As delicious as it is right off the stovetop, it makes for fabulous leftovers after the flavors have had more time to develop!

I love a good beef barley soup.ย  Not only is it great cool-weather comfort food, it’s absolutely loaded with healthy ingredients.ย  Barley has a wonderful and unique flavor and coupled with umami-laden beef, it gives this soup has an incredible depth of flavor.ย  This Beef Barley Soup packs in a variety of vegetables but you are more than welcome to add or substitute any other veggies of your choice.

Can You Freeze Beef and Barley Stew?

Yes you can!ย  Freeze the whole batch or in individual portions in ziplock bags and you’ll have a ready meal in the time it simply takes to reheat it.ย  You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.

beef and barley stew recipe best homemade from scratch healthy

Beef and Barley Stew Recipe

Let’s get started!

Choose a cut with generous marbling as that will produce the best flavor.ย ย Cut the beef into 3/4 inch chunks, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt.

cutting up the meat

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides, working in batches so as not to overcrowd.

Browning the beef is absolutely essential to achieving the best flavor so do not skip this step! ย Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef and set aside.

browning the meat

This is what the Dutch oven is going to look like by the time you’re done searing the beef. ย Don’t even think about cleaning it out. ย That is another secret to achieving ultimate flavor. ย When we add the veggies and liquid we’re going to “deglaze” the bottom of this pan…helloooo flavah!

Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and saute the onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes.

adding the veggies

Add the mushrooms, spinach, garlic and herbs and cook for another minute.

Return the beef to the pot.

Add the wine, beef stock, bay leaf, salt and tomato paste. ย Stir to combine.

You have two cooking methods to choose from:

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven and cook on the lowest rack for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender.

2) Bring to a boil on the stove top, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 60-90 minutes or until the beef is fork tender.

adding the remaining ingredients to pot

While the stew is cooking, add the barley to 2 cups water in a medium pot. ย Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. ย Strain the excess liquid. ย Add the barley to the stew and continue to cook for at least 10 more minutes, preferably up to an hour. ย The longer it cooks, the more tender the beef and the more flavor the stew will have. ย Add salt and pepper to taste.

beef and barley stew recipe best classic healthy from scratch

Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

beef barley soup recipe best homemade from scratch healthy

Be sure to also try our Chicken Barley Soup!

For more delicious beef stews be sure to try our:

beef barley soup recipe best homemade from scratch healthy

Beef and Barley Stew

This Beef and Barley Stew is wholesome, hearty, and positively packed with flavor!
4.88 from 66 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 409 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 1/2 pounds beef sirloin tip , cut into 3/4 inch cubes
  • 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms , cleaned and quartered
  • 2 cups fresh spinach , chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme , or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 teaspoons fresh oregano , or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided
  • 1 large onion , diced
  • 1 large carrot , diced
  • 1 stalk celery , diced
  • 1 cup dry red wine (e.g., pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon)
  • 3 1/2 cups quality beef broth
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley , chopped

Instructions
 

  • Pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and season with salt.
    Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef cubes on all sides, working in batches so as to not overcrowd. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef and set aside.
  • Heat the remaining tablespoons of olive oil and add the onion, carrot and celery to the Dutch oven. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, spinach, garlic and herbs and cook for another minute. Return the beef to the pot and add the wine, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt and stir to combine.
  • Two cooking methods:
    1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven and cook on the lowest rack for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
    2) Bring to a boil on the stove top, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 60-90 minutes or until the beef is fork tender.
  • While the stew is cooking, add the barley to the water in a medium pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Add the barley to the stew and continue to cook for at least 10 more minutes, preferably up to an hour. The longer the stew cooks the more tender the beef and flavorful the stew will be. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    Serve the stew garnished with fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 48gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 765mgPotassium: 1384mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3170IUVitamin C: 15.3mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 5.6mg
Keyword Beef and Barley Stew, Beef Barley Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Adapted from Vikki Krinsky’s Beef Stew With Barley

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet February 8, 2014

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.88 from 66 votes (50 ratings without comment)

70 Comments

  1. Kimberly, I’ve made many of your recipes and have never been disappointed. For this recipe, you listed only 2 cooking methods, but this recipe is highly suited for the slow cooker. Sear the meat. Sautee the veggies. Bloom the spices. Throw everything into a crock pot for 4 hours on high. It’s wonderfully delicious! Thank you!

  2. Didnโ€™t have spinach, but otherwise followed the recipe. I like a soup with more broth, so I added three Cups water. Next time Iโ€™ll cut the beef into a little larger cubes, use less thyme, and only 2C of beef broth plus 5C water. If I finds it needs more beef flavor Iโ€™ll add some beef flavor Better Than Bouillon. I prefer that flavor to any beef broth Iโ€™ve tasted. Also a tsp of Worcestershire sauce.

  3. This is my go to recipe for this dish- amazing. I’ve used it about 8-10 tims. Simple, doable and delicious. Thank you!

  4. I notice the recipe is called soup but in the recipe you refer to it as stew. Do you
    consider it more a stew than soup. Thank you.

    1. It’s a fine line between the two – it would technically be considered a soup but because of thickness of the consistency one could make the argument for both. I include both terms from a searchability standpoint in case readers are using one or the other to search for the recipe.

  5. So excited to try this recipe tomorrow but have a couple of questions as I am not following the recipe exactly. I will be using a crock pot but as per the other writers I will cook the meat and sautรฉ the veggies in a pan before transferring to the crockpot. Question…I could not find quick barley so picked up pearl barley. If it is going to be in the crockpot for 6 hours do I need to do any prep to the barley? Or can I put directly from the package Into the crockpot? Also, Do you find cooking the stew on low for longer makes the stew meat more tender than cooking on high for a shorter time?

    1. Hi Jan, yes, you can just put the package of barley directly into the crockpot. The length of slow-cooking time: It depends on the cut of meat but generally yes, the longer the cooking time the more tender the meat.

      1. Well this recipe sounds delish & I’m working the recipe now. I used a untrimmed tri
        tip roast so I’m hoping it works well. I’ll keep u posted. Happy eating

  6. Is 450 degrees a mistake?? I knew when I put it in the oven that seemed too hot, so I put it at 425, with the uncooked barley in it. The barley stuck to the bottom of the pan! Not because of lack of liquid, but because it was too hot! : >(

    1. Hi Donna, no it’s not a mistake. A lot of recipes from Fine Cooking to Martha Stewart call for the same temp.