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slow cooker beef and barley stew - featured image

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

  • Author: Julia
  • Total Time: 8 hours
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

A foolproof, hearty stew made with chuck roast, pearl barley, and simple pantry ingredients. This slow cooker recipe requires minimal prep and delivers rich, comforting flavors with almost no effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 to 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 32 ounces beef broth (low-sodium recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (optional, for thickening)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for richness)

Instructions

  1. Cut the beef chuck roast into uniform 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion, chop the carrots, and mince the garlic.
  2. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess starch.
  3. Combine the beef, onion, carrots, rinsed barley, dried thyme, salt, pepper, garlic, and tomato paste in the slow cooker.
  4. Pour in the beef broth and stir to distribute the tomato paste evenly.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the barley is swollen.
  6. Remove the bay leaves. Check consistency; if too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. If too thick, add a splash of broth.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in butter if desired.
  8. Serve hot, optionally with crusty bread.

Notes

Use pearl barley, not hulled, for the best texture. Rinse the barley thoroughly to prevent a gluey stew. Low heat is essential for tender beef; high heat may result in tough meat and mushy barley. The stew thickens as it sits in the fridge; add liquid when reheating.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7.5 hours
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 380
  • Sugar: 4
  • Sodium: 650
  • Fat: 10
  • Saturated Fat: 3
  • Carbohydrates: 40
  • Fiber: 6
  • Protein: 25

Keywords: slow cooker, beef stew, barley stew, comfort food, easy dinner, one pot meal, chuck roast, hearty stew

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Find it online: https://mealuv.com/slow-cooker-beef-and-barley-stew-5-ingredients-foolproof/