This hearty recipe for beef and barley vegetable stew is healthy and filling and so easy to make in the slow cooker. Perfect autumn comfort food!
Welcome to a bonus Secret Recipe Club post. Unfortunately the Secret Recipe Club will be ending next month and so I was especially pleased that I'd chosen to take part in the additional themed event this month. As we're in the heart of autumn, the theme was Fall Dishes. So, as the autumn nights draw in, why not curl up with a big bowl of this slow cooked beef and barley vegetable stew? Perfect for throwing in the slow cooker and coming home to after a long hard day!
This beef and barley vegetable stew is ideal for the slow cooker
I could have gone with a Halloween theme and chosen something made with pumpkin or squash or done some delicious autumn baking but for me, this is the time of year when I start slow cooking again. I love my slow cooker and use it throughout the year but I get even more enthusiastic about it right now.
The inspiration for this beef and barley stew
Luckily, I was assigned to An Affair from the Heart, written by Michaela and she also loves her slow cooker. I chose to make her Vegetable, Beef, Barley and Mushroom Soup but as it turned out to be such a lovely hearty dish I've called it a stew. It's just right for this time of year when there's a chill in the air and the first frosts are about to appear on the ground. I like to imagine myself eating this after a long walk through a beautiful autumn forest, curled up on a sofa in front of a roaring log fire. If only!
As a fellow group b Secret Recipe Club member, I've visited Michaela's blog many times over the past few years but this was the first time I'd been assigned her blog. She has a busy family with 4 children and loves to have everyone at home eating together at the family table. I love the fact that for her blogging represents a creative outlet. As a fellow SAHM, I can definitely relate to that.
Although I went down the savoury slow cooker route this time, there were lots of other recipes that I liked the sound of. I grew up on a farm and at this time of year we were always eating lots of homegrown apples and so I very nearly went for this gorgeous German Apple Cake. If you love apples and cinnamon then do take a look!
I've also been working my way through my own pureed pumpkin and as I love making muffins with the children I almost made these Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread Muffins. Oh well, there's still time!
A simple satisfying stew
Anyway, back to this beef and barley vegetable stew recipe. It may sound simple and it is, but don't confuse that with boring. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that don't use lots of fancy ingredients but you know you can rely on to provide a tasty satisfying meal. That's exactly what this recipe is. It's really easy to make but still really really tasty.
If you have time to brown the meat first then do but I am often in such a hurry in the mornings that I just throw everything in the slow cooker and it still works. This was perfect and the leftovers were also delicious warmed up the next day for lunch, making it a great #CookOnceEatTwice meal as well.
Recipe
Beef and Barley Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
- 450 g stewing beef
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 100 g pearl barley
- 200 g mushrooms cut in half
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 sticks of celery chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- pinch Black pepper
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 800 ml beef stock
Instructions
- Coat the beef in the flour and put in a saucepan with a little oil to brown the outside. Or if you're really in a hurry skip the browning - It'll still be good.
- Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and add all the other ingredients.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
More tasty Winter Stews and a Barley recipe
You might also like my Scotch broth recipe.
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this beef and barley vegetable stew. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Brian Jones
So great to see a proper old fashioned stew, pearl barley is such a great ingredient for adding both volume and earthy flavour to a dish at next to no cost. I use it all of the time! Delicious!
Corina Blum
Thanks Brian! I would use it more often but my husband is not quite such a fan. I think it's great in salads too.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
What a cozy stew! This is just perfect for the colder months. Love your pretty photos too!
Corina Blum
Thanks Julie! I'm so pleased you like the pictures as it can be difficult to make a brown meal look good!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
The recipe looks so easy to do and you know that the slow cooker is going to work its magic! Perfect winter comfort food.
Corina Blum
Thanks Amanda! I think the slow cooker is great for recipes like this.
Lucy @ BakingQueen74
This stew looks so delicious and I really love that the method is so simple, it is just the way I love to cook! Haven't had barley for a while so I must add some to my next casserole. Thanks for sending your recipe over to the Slow Cooked Challenge!
Corina
I'm so pleased you like it. I do think that if I'm going to use my slow cooker I want the whole recipe to be easy and ideally not have to part cook it before putting it in!
Monika
This for me is comfort food at its finest! Homemade, hearty and I am sure very tasty!
Julie
Love love the slow cooker. This looks so good.
Corina
It is indeed! I often think you can't beat a good slow cooked beef stew!
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com
YUM!! This sounds oh so good. Lovely combination of flavours. Just my sort of thing. Eb x
Corina
Thanks Eb! We all loved it. Well, my husband isn't so keen on the barley but still loved the flavours.
alisonlonghurst
I've never made a soup in the slow cooker. My Nanna always made barley soups, so I would love to give this one a go. It sounds delicious. Alison x #brilliantblogposts
Corina
I think the slow cooker is great for soups! Often I'm not sure whether to call them soups or stews though - hope you enjoy this one!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Yes please! I love the sound of this soup, it looks and sounds so tasty and so filling! This is a must try. Popping over from #CookOnceEatTwice and thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare xx
Corina
So pleased you like it! It's lovely and easy and basically I just want any excuse to use my slow cooker at the moment.
Traci (@burntapples)
What a fun stew combination. Looks delicious!
Corina
Thanks Traci, it was really tasty!
Amy CookingAdventures
Beef barley soup is one of my favorites!
Corina
It's great for this time of year isn't it! Although I do love a good soup or stew at any time.
michaela403
I am just tickled that you loved this recipe!! I will sure miss seeing your recipes in the SRC.
Corina
Thanks Michaela for the lovely recipe! It's going to be such a shame to say goodbye to the SRC this month.
Heather
Looks delicious and so heart! Great SRC recipe!
Corina
Thanks Heather!
Nico @ yumsome
I'm so with you re. long forest walks and then curling up in front of a roaring log fire - how perfect!
I love stews like this! We have a similar one in Slovenia, called ričet, made with smoked pork instead of beef. I usually make mine with seitan but to be honest, it's just as good with only vegetables and grains.
My slow cooker is with my friends in Britain - every winter I find myself wishing I had it with me. Last winter, even more so, given that we were still getting snow in early May. Meals like this are a godsend in snowy weather!
Corina
Ooh the ricet sounds delicious! I haven't heard of it before but I love smokey flavours.
Emily @ Life on Food
I am loving all of the soups today. I am all about soup in the Fall. This recipe sounds amazing. Will have to bookmark for later.
Corina
I hope you enjoy it! I'm a little late but I'm about to visit a few of them now - I'm sure they'll make me hungry!
Rebekah @ Making Miracles
Ohhhh my yes. That screams fall - I want a big bowl of that to warm up with!
Corina
Thanks Rebekah!
Cookaholic Wife (@cookaholicwife)
You can never go wrong with a slow cooker meal!
Corina
I couldn't agree more!
Amy (Savory Moments)
This looks like a fantastic meal to warm you up on a chilly fall evening. Great choice for today's SRC!
Corina
Thank you Amy! I am really wishing I had the ingredients to make it again today as it's such a chilly morning here
Sarah
mmm, i love all the goodness in this soup! crockpot meals are the best!
Corina
Thanks Sarah! You can't beat a crockpot meal for yummy homemade comfort food sometimes!
Tracy
Slow cooker soups are totally the way to go for a fall themed reveal, great choice!
Corina
I know! I'm going to have to make a lot more of them too. Makes life so much easier in the evenings.
Sid
We love a good Beef and Barley Soup, and this is going on my must make soon list.
Corina
I hope you enjoy it! I love these type of meals.
Wendy Klik
I love meals like this. Put them in the slow cooker in the morning and come home on a crisp Fall day to a house that smells wonderful and dinner is ready and waiting.
Corina
Exactly Wendy!