Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

Punxsatuawney Phil stuck his head out of his burrow and saw his shadow. The furry critter predicts another 6 weeks of winter. Nice one, P.P.

Then again, for those of us lucky enough to call Minnesota home, nobody batted an eye. We are fully prepared for rude blasts of freezing snowstorms even in April. Sad but too true.

I’m not sure “6 more weeks of winter” means anything when you live in a place where snowmen adorn white lawns in late spring.

Besides, the famous shaggy marmot’s weather predictions are cert controversial. Though he is kinda cute and I want to pet him.

One thing’s for sure. We’re feelin’ the vibe for dishing up some beef and barley stew.

Tender Beef, Healthy Vegetables, and Toothsome Barley

Whenever it’s cold or I’m too busy or both… my slow cooker comes out of its own burrow. My slow cooker enjoys a lengthy stay throughout the cold months, because it is that awesome. It deserves a regular spot in the kitchen.

After all, it’s my faithful old Crock Pot with its old school outfit that creates delicious stews like this Slow Cooker Beef Vegetable Barley Stew.

This stew has everything going for it: tender chunks of beef, an array of veggies, and healthy barley to boot. It’s superior in heartiness, feeding even the hungriest of tummies on a cold winter night.

Be sure to give this stew all the hours necessary to cook into a nice, thick stew with tender beef. This is a big recipe that feeds a crowd, because that’s the way I roll (ask the Hubbs.)

Feel free to divide recipe in half if you don’t have a group to feed. Leftovers reheat beautifully, by the way.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef Vegetable Barley Stew

5 from 4 ratings

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This Slow-Cooker Beef Vegetable Barley Stew is the heartiest beef stew that will grace your dinner table! It’s chock full of tender beef, various veggies, and barley for an extra healthy boost. Best of all, it’s easily made in your Crock Pot so you don’t have to babysit the stew. This recipe feeds a crowd. You can cut it in half if you wish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 11 hours hrs

Servings: 10

Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

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• 2 lb beef chuck roast, boneless, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 14 ½ oz diced tomatoes , with juices
• 4 cups beef broth, regular strength
• ½ cup barley, dry, small "pearl" size
• 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, sweet
• 1 whole onion, sliced
• 5 stalks celery, sliced
• 5 whole carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 whole russet potato, peeled and cubed

Instructions

• In a large slow cooker, add all ingredients except for the cubed potatoes (you can soak potatoes in a bowl of cool water to prevent them from turning brown in the meantime.) Stir to make sure all ingredients are submerged in the liquid and seasonings.
• Cover and cook on low for 11-12 hours OR on high for 8-9 hours. During the last 3 hours of cooking, add the cubed potatoes (this prevents them from overcooking and becoming starchy and mushy.)
• Add more kosher salt and black pepper to taste, if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Be sure to buy pearled barley. Do not use quick cooking barley or larger sized barley. 

Adding potatoes during the final 3 hours of cooking is important, as they will become starchy and break apart if cooked longer. 

This stew keeps very well for several days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Tip for Meal Prep: Stew can be divided into individual freezer containers and frozen for up to 2 months. 

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Amerian

Diet: Gluten Free

Method: Crockpot, Slow Cooker

Here are a few more favorite hearty soups/stews to warm up your dinner table!

1. Chunky Beef or Turkey Chili. This is our family’s favorite. All our friends love this as well, and you’ll probably get recipe requests if you make this.

1. White Chicken Chili. This is another slow cooker stew that turns out fantastic. Easy and satisfying.

1. Easy Mexican Chicken Stew. We use rotisserie chicken and our slow cooker for this super easy weeknight stew that the entire family devours.

1. French Beef Stew. If you have a bit more time on the weekend and want to wow your friends, this is the thing to make. The flavors are complex and amazing. 100% guest-approved.