Beef & Barley Stew

Again I am thinking of all our bloggers who are soon to embark upon a nice snowy winter (I am secretly jealous). This recipe is truly heaven in a pot. Especially when the weather outside is like a Siberian winter! Do they even have a summer there?

Anyway, Susan has been asking me to share this particular stew for months and I have finally found the courage to share one of my top five family favourites that I have been so precious about. Every winter my mum would cook up a massive pot of beef and barley stew and we’d eat around the outdoor fire going back for seconds…thirds…but who’s counting.

I will do my best in writing down the recipe, however, I must warn you, it is one of those recipes you make without thinking, therefore the measures of ingredients become your own. Experiment to your own taste as mine is merely guideline.

Beef & Barley Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil
1kg of chuck steak or gravy beef, cubed (or leave whole as the meat will fall apart anyway)
2 medium brown onions, diced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed (personally I’d use more)
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 or 3 sticks of celery, sliced (including celery leaves)
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
600mls beef stock
2 cups of water
Half a cup of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of powdered vegetable stock (trust me)
Half a cup of pearl barley
3 bay leaves
Salt and cracked pepper

1. Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan.
2. Add the beef and brown. Stir quickly to avoid sticking or burning.
3. Add chopped carrot, celery, potatoes and beef stock and stir.
4. Add water (use more or less if necessary) to cover the ingredients completely.
5. Add parsley and barley. Stir well.
6. Pop in the bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
7. Once on the boil, turn down to simmer for an hour or so until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.
8. Sprinkle the powdered vegetable stock into the stew. This is the clincher.
9. Add more water if it’s too thick or more seasoning to taste.

Serve with fresh crusty bread and don’t forget to fish the bay leaves out.
Note: Freeze leftovers (a great instant meal) or refrigerate for lunch the next day. The flavours the next day are much more intense! Enjoy.

Michaela.