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Slow Cooker Beef Barley Stew

A hearty, warm stew perfect for cool days, made easily in a slow cooker with beef, vegetables, and barley.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil For browning beef
  • 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes Tender cut for slow cooking
  • to taste Kosher salt
  • to taste Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, cut into thin slices
  • 8 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced Add aromatic flavor
  • 4 medium-large yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth For moisture and flavor
  • 1 cup dry red wine For depth of flavor
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¾ cup pearl barley Provides heartiness to the stew
  • to taste Chopped fresh parsley, for serving For garnish

Method
 

Cooking
  1. Sprinkle beef fairly generously with kosher salt and pepper.
  2. If you own a slow cooker with a meat browning function, add the oil to the slow cooker and brown the beef on all sides.
  3. If not, use a large skillet over medium-high heat to heat the oil and brown the beef. Drain off fat.
  4. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
  5. Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, potatoes, onion, beef broth, wine, tomato paste, mustard, and thyme to the slow cooker and stir well to incorporate.
  6. Stir in barley and add the bay leaf.
  7. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then turn heat to low and cook for 2 hours more or until beef is tender.
  8. Remove bay leaf and serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Notes

Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months. To reheat, add more broth if it thickens.