Description

This hearty, deeply flavorful beef and barley stew is made in the crockpot with minimal effort. It’s perfect for freezer meals, delivering rich, savory comfort food that tastes like you spent all day on it.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
3 celery stalks, sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 cup pearl barley (not quick-cooking)
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Instructions

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Rinse the pearl barley in a fine-mesh colander under cold water for about 30 seconds. Add to the slow cooker.
Add sliced carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to distribute seasonings.
In a small bowl, whisk tomato paste with about ½ cup of the beef broth until smooth. Pour into the slow cooker along with the remaining broth and undrained diced tomatoes.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove bay leaves and stir in frozen peas if using.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. For a thicker stew, mash a few barley grains against the side of the pot.
If freezing, let the stew cool completely before portioning into freezer-safe containers.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the beef—it builds deep flavor. Cut vegetables uniformly for even cooking. Barley absorbs a lot of broth, so the stew will thicken as it cooks. When freezing, leave about an inch of headspace in containers. Season in layers, adding salt at the end to avoid over-salting.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7-8 hours (LOW) or 4-5 hours (HIGH)
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 ½
Calories: 385
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 680
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 38
Fiber: 8
Protein: 32

Keywords: beef and barley stew, crockpot stew, freezer meal, slow cooker beef stew, hearty stew, easy dinner