Cookbook:Beef and Barley Stew

| United States | Meat | Stews

Beef and barley stew is a hearty stew that can be prepared from freezer to table in under 2 hours. It's easy to prepare ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Ingredients

 * 3 pounds (1.25 kg) beef, cubed
 * 1 white onion, diced
 * 4 cubed potatoes
 * 1 cup (240 g) barley
 * ¼ cup (60 g) flour
 * 1 can tomato paste
 * 1 small can diced tomatoes
 * 1 slug Worcestershire sauce
 * 1 bunch parsley
 * salt, pepper, paprika to taste
 * 1 teaspoon thyme
 * 2 teaspoons marjoram
 * 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 * 2 cartons beef broth
 * 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms
 * 1 pkg frozen green beans
 * 3 cloves halved garlic
 * 3 stalks celery
 * 4 large carrots
 * water, enough to cover all ingredients in pot

Variation I

 * 1) Dust beef cubes lightly with flour, then brown in vegetable oil.
 * 2) Move to separate pot and clean pan with beef broth and add to pot.
 * 3) Sauté celery, garlic and onion briefly and add to pot. Simmer for 1.5 hours.
 * 4) Add barley and simmer additional ½ hour.
 * 5) Add potatoes, sliced mushrooms, frozen green beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
 * 6) Add slug of Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 1 additional hour.
 * 7) Chop parsley and stir into stew before serving.

Variation II

 * 1) Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika on a plate, and dredge the cubed beef in the flour mixture.
 * 2) Add the oil to a Dutch oven or large saucepan on medium high heat. Brown the beef in the oil.
 * 3) When the beef is evenly browned on all sides, add the water, beef broth, bay leaf, onion, carrots and barley. Allow to come to a simmer and reduce heat.
 * 4) Allow to simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, until the meat is tender. Remove the bay leaf and serve with noodles or rice.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Don't overcrowd the beef when browning. If there is not enough room to brown all the meat at the same time, do it in batches, and then add the reserved beef with the other ingredients.

Warnings

 * Always follow safe handling guidelines when using raw meat.