Old Fashioned Beef and Barley Stew is pure comfort food. It is warming, flavourful, good for you and a great way to serve a crowd.
My Mom always made the most amazing stews and this Beef and Barley Stew was one of my favourites. Mom often put pearl barley in her stews, both as a frugal way of making the meat go further and to give the stew flavour. I loved it – pearl barley has such a wonderful, nutty texture and it is good for you too.
Cooking with Pearl Barley
When I first made this stew on my own 15 years ago, it was the first time I had cooked with pearl barley and I was super nervous. Whenever I read the packages here in England, the instructions said to “wash thoroughly” and “boil for 45 minutes”. It was a far cry from watching my Mom tip a half cup of pearl barley into the stew and just let it cook in there.
I decided to wash the barley thoroughly as directed, but I followed Mom’s lead and just stirred it into the stew. It turned out perfectly. Do be sure to wash the barley thoroughly though to remove and debris and residue.
Over the years I have found that pearl barley is actually very easy to use and it appears in a lot of my comfort food dishes including my Vegetarian Orzotto with Mediterranean Vegetables and my Mushroom Orzotto. Orzotto is an Italian dish similar to risotto but it is made with barley instead of rice.
Making Beef and Barley Stew
My Mom used to make this stew in one of those clay pots that were so popular back in the 1970’s (affiliate link). These days I use a 2.4 litre Le Creuset casserole (affiliate link) to make Beef and Barley Stew, but you can use any heavy casserole that works on both the stove top and in the oven. I appreciate Le Creuset is a very expensive brand but I swear by them because they last. My mother-in-law gave me a Le Creuset casserole back in 1990 and thirty plus years later it is still going strong. However, this Dutch oven (affiliate link) is a more budget-friendly option. I have not used one myself, but it gets rave reviews.
If you do not have casserole that can go on the stove top and in the oven, you can use a large frying pan for the first part of the recipe. Then carefully transfer everything to a casserole with a lid before you put the Beef and Barley Stew in the oven.
Nutritious and Delicious
Rich and hearty, this Beef and Barley Stew recipe is really good for you too. With beef, fresh vegetables and pearl barley, you are getting lots of nourishment as well as a lot of flavour!
I used Guinness but any full bodied stout or ale would be fine. A small glass of the beer you used in the stew makes a great drink for the grown ups to enjoy alongside it. For an alcohol-free version of the stew, simply use extra beef stock. The flavour will not be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious.
You may need to add more stock as barley absorbs liquid differently every time. The amount of liquid you need will also be affected by what type of vegetables you use.
A Great Way To Serve A Crowd
This recipe is easily doubled, just be sure you have a big enough casserole to cook it in. Also, more volume may take a little more time to cook. I like to allow an extra 20 minutes or so.
I like to serve a green vegetable alongside the stew for colour and extra nutrition.
Is There A Vegetarian or Vegan Option?
Absolutely! My delicious vegan Old Fashioned Vegetable and Barley Stew is warming, comforting and totally plant based.
Beef and Barley Stew Keeps Well
I often make Beef and Barley Stew a day ahead of time as it is delicious reheated. Somehow the flavours deepen a little bit and make it even more delicious. Be sure to cool the stew as quickly as possible, cover well and refrigerate. I recommend heating the stew gently in a saucepan, adding a bit of boiling water to loosen the sauce if necessary. If you do use a microwave oven, go carefully as it is easy to overheat the stew. This may toughen the beef.
The stew will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, so you reheat leftovers using the same method.
Beef and Barley Stew is one of my go to recipes, a real family favourite. I hope you and your family will enjoy it just as much!
Beef and Barley Stew – Printable Recipe
Beef and Barley Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 lb chuck steak, cut in small chunks about an inch (2.5 cm) square
- ½ cup pearl barley, well rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups Guinness or any full bodied stout or ale
- 2 cups beef stock You may need more or less.
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 cup quartered mushrooms optional
- 2 to 3 cups carrots or a mixture of root vegetables of your choice (parsnips work well), peeled and chopped Roughly 5 – 6 carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to about 325℉ (or about 170℃ – 160℃ for a fan oven).
- You need a large oven safe casserole with a lid that you can also use on the stove top. (I use a Le Creuset casserole.) Alternatively, you can use a large frying pan for the first part, and transfer everything to a casserole with a lid before you put it in the oven.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in an oven safe casserole with a lid that you can also use on the stove top.
- Sauté the onion until it begins to look translucent.
- Add the beef and brown it in the oniony oil.
- When the beef has begun to brown, stir in the barley and let it get coated in the oil too.
- Now add the beer, the stock, the Worcester sauce and the tomato puree and stir though.
- Stir in the mushrooms, if using.
- Tip in the vegetables and stir gently.
- Stir through the salt, pepper and thyme, and then tuck the bay leaf into the stew, covering it with the liquid.
- Put the casserole in the oven for an hour and a half, stirring carefully every 30 minutes to avoid breaking up the bay leaf.
- You may need to add more stock as barley absorbs liquid differently every time. The amount of liquid you need will also be affected by what type of vegetables you use.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, and take out the bay leaf.
- Serve in warmed bowls.
did you make this recipe?
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