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Cozy Crockpot Beef and Barley Stew – Easy Homemade

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A hearty, slow-cooked beef and barley stew that fills your house with warmth and comfort. This recipe is simple, pantry-friendly, and perfect for cold days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides (3-4 minutes per side). Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onions to the same skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
  4. Place sliced carrots and celery in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add rinsed barley, then the browned beef and onion mixture.
  5. Pour in remaining beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add dried thyme and bay leaves. Stir gently to combine.
  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.
  7. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If stew is too thick, stir in extra broth or water. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the beef; it adds deep flavor. Use pearl barley, not quick-cooking. For best results, cook on LOW. The stew thickens as it sits; add extra broth when reheating. Make ahead for even better flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef and barley stew, crockpot stew, slow cooker stew, hearty stew, comfort food, winter recipe

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/cozy-crockpot-beef-and-barley-stew-easy-homemade/