Ingredients
- 1½ lb beef chuck or stew meat, 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ¾ cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- lemon or red wine vinegar, to finish
Equipment
- slow cooker
- large pot or Dutch oven (for stovetop option)
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon
- ladle
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- measuring cups and spoons
Method
- Slow Cooker: Brown beef in oil in a skillet; transfer to slow cooker.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in the same pan 4–5 minutes. Add garlic 30 seconds, tomato paste 1 minute; deglaze with ½ cup broth.
- Add to slow cooker with remaining broth, barley, thyme, paprika, bay, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
- Cook LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 3½–4 hours until beef is tender. Remove bay; stir in parsley and a splash of lemon/vinegar. Adjust seasoning and serve.
- Stovetop Option: Sear beef; sauté veg; add tomato paste; deglaze. Add broth, barley, thyme, bay, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Simmer 75–90 minutes, stirring, until beef and barley are tender. Finish as above.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 29gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5000IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 4mg
Notes
Creamy version: stir in ½ cup cream off heat. “Hamburger & Barley”: swap in 1½ lb lean ground beef (browned and drained). No green onion used.
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