Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
8 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
6 -8 servings
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Course
Soup
Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew
Description
Starting with well-seasoned beef cubes seared to golden brown, this stew builds flavor by sautéing onions and garlic, then deglazing the pan with red wine and tomato paste. All ingredients—including cooked bacon, mushrooms, potatoes, an assortment of root vegetables, pearl barley or farro, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme—are combined in the slow cooker.
Simmering on low for eight hours breaks down the beef to tender morsels and softens vegetables and barley, resulting in a hearty and flavorful stew enhanced by the deep, malty notes of Guinness stout and the sweetness from root vegetables. The barley adds a slightly chewy texture that thickens the broth naturally.
This stew suits an easy comforting meal, best served warm with sturdy bread. The recipe suggests substituting frozen pearl onions if desired, which can simplify preparation.
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes, or stew meat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 cup red wine dry
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-6 lices Bacon cooked and chopped, thick-cut
- 4 cups beef stock reduced sodium
- 12 ounces Guinness Extra Stout Beer or dark stout beer
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaf
- 2-3 thyme sprigs or 2 teaspoons dried
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms stemmed and quartered (optional, or white mushrooms, whole
- 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potato quartered, petite
- 4 cups Root Vegetables peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (ex: Carrots, parsnips, turnips, celery, rutabaga) (we like carrots and parsnips, assorted
- ⅔ cup pearled barley or farro
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat with the oil.
- Liberally season beef on all sides with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the beef to the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add the cooked beef to a large slow cooker.
- In the same pan, over medium heat add the chopped onions and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant. Add the red wine and tomato paste to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add the liquid and sauteed onions and garlic to the slow cooker.
- Add the bacon, beef stock, stout beer, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, mushrooms, potatoes, root vegetables and barley or farro. Stir to incorporate.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stirring every couple hours.
- After eight hours, stir, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
- Frozen chopped or pearl onions can replace fresh diced onions when preferred or for convenience.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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