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Beef Barley Stew with Potatoes and Carrots
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Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Skillet
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup pearl barley
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the beef stew meat and brown it on all sides for a few minutes. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
  • Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, cubed potatoes, and pearl barley to the slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Stir in the dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
  • In the final 30 minutes, whisk the flour with a small amount of the hot broth from the slow cooker to form a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry back into the stew to thicken the gravy.
  • Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Notes

If the barley absorbs too much liquid during cooking, add an extra half cup of broth toward the end. Leftovers thicken further in the fridge, so loosen them with a splash of water when reheating on the stove.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Slow Cooker, Large Skillet, Cutting Board