Beef and Barley Stew
Melting-tender beef chunks, perfectly cooked barley, and all the hearty veggies one can ask for. Best of all, it’s freezer-friendly!
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.