This Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew is a wonderfully hearty one-pot meal. With all the hype around pressure cookers, I prefer to take it slow for this recipe—low and long yields the best texture and flavor.
As Cooking Light notes, “some sort of magic happens over the long, controlled simmer in the slow cooker: The barley cooks to tender-chewy perfection, the inexpensive and tough beef becomes meltingly tender, and the liquid thickens to a beautiful gravy.” That description fits perfectly—this stew delivers on all of that.
This is a truly satisfying dish you’ll want to make again and again.
What you’ll need…
- Beef stock – Use a good-quality organic stock or your preferred beef broth. Homemade stock gives the best depth of flavor.
- Onion – Chopped. White, yellow or sweet onions all work.
- Whole-grain barley – Use hulled or hull-less whole-grain barley for a chewy texture and nutty flavor; avoid quick-cooking pearled barley for this long cook.
- Water – Filtered or bottled is preferable.
- Celery – Sliced.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh garlic – Minced. A garlic press or fine grater works well to avoid large bits.
- Fresh thyme sprigs – Use whole sprigs during cooking and remove them before serving; they add a bright aromatic note.
- Bay leaves – Add a subtle herbal background.
- Tomato paste – Adds concentrated umami and a touch of acidity.
- Olive oil – Extra-virgin is preferred for flavor; neutral oils can be substituted if needed.
- Chuck beef – Cut into sturdy bite-size cubes for slow cooking.
- Fresh carrots – Cut into 1-inch pieces; trim larger ends so pieces cook evenly.
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley – Chopped, for garnish.
If you expect a busy morning, assemble the prepped ingredients in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate. In the morning you’ll be ready to start cooking and head out the door.
- Place beef stock, chopped onion, barley and water in the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add sliced celery, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
- Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Dollop the tomato paste on top.
- Stir gently to combine.
Brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker
Browning creates caramelization that deepens the stew’s flavor, so take the time to sear the cubes well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
- Add half the beef cubes and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes, turning once.
- Transfer the first batch of browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and the rest of the beef.
- Scatter the carrot pieces over the beef.
Important note on barley: use hull-less or hulled whole-grain barley, not quick-cooking pearled barley. The pearl variety will break down too much during the long slow-cooker time.
- Cover and cook on LOW until the meat and grains are tender, about 8 hours.
- Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with thyme leaves and/or chopped parsley, if desired.
There are a few easy variations you can try to suit your family’s tastes. This stew is filling with barley, but you can add potatoes for extra heartiness if you like. Leftover roasted potatoes work well, too. Other additions that blend nicely: cooked peas, string beans or sautéed mushrooms.
Be creative and make this Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew yours.
A sprinkling of fresh parsley or thyme leaves finishes the dish. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the rich gravy.
Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew
Adapted from Cooking Light
Hearty slow-cooked stew that freezes and reheats well.
Ingredients
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 5.5 ounces)
- 1 cup hull-less whole-grain barley (or hulled)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sliced celery (about 4 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 large thyme sprigs (plus leaves for garnish)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds chuck beef cubes, divided
- 2 1/2 cups carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 16 ounces)
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
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Stir together the beef stock, chopped onion, barley and water in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add sliced celery, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves, then place dollops of tomato paste on top.
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Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown half the beef cubes, about 6 minutes, turning once. Transfer to the slow cooker. Brown the remaining beef in the second tablespoon of oil and add to the slow cooker. Scatter the carrots over the beef.
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Cover and cook on LOW until the meat and barley are tender, about 8 hours. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Serve the stew in bowls and garnish with thyme leaves and/or chopped parsley.
Disclosure: Some links in the original post were affiliate links; this recipe itself is shared for cooking purposes and all recommended ingredients are based on personal experience.
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