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–+ servings
Beef and Barley Stew

Beef and Barley Stew

Yield: 8 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Melting-tender beef chunks, perfectly cooked barley, and all the hearty veggies one can ask for. Best of all, it’s freezer-friendly!
5 stars (41 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds top sirloin steak, diced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • ⅓ cup dry red or white wine
  • 8 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup pearled barley, rinsed
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season steak with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to the stockpot and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 6-8 minutes; set aside.
  • Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the stockpot.
  • Stir in beef stock, barley, thyme, bay leaf and steak. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.*
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

*TO FREEZE: Let cool completely; portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.