Beef and Barley Stew With Mushrooms
Two hours, mostly unattended, and one pot. Pearl barley goes in at the 75 minute mark rather than at the start, which keeps it chewy instead of turning it to paste.
Stew beef comes from working muscles with a lot of connective tissue. That collagen needs time above roughly 180 degrees F to convert into gelatin, and it will not hurry. An hour and a half is about the minimum; before that the meat is technically cooked but still tough.
Brown in Batches, Not All at Once
A pound and a half of beef in a hot pot drops the temperature immediately and releases liquid faster than it can evaporate. The meat ends up grey and boiled. Work in two or three batches with space around each cube, and let each one sit undisturbed for two minutes before turning.
Pat the cubes dry first and season them right before they hit the pan. Surface moisture has to boil off before browning can start, and salt draws more moisture out over time, so seasoning early works against you here.
Mushrooms Are Flavor, Not Filler
Eight ounces of cremini browned in the same pot after the beef adds a deep savory note that no amount of stock cube replicates. Cook them until they squeak and the released liquid has fully evaporated. Added wet and pale, they contribute almost nothing but texture.
The Timing Trap With Barley
Pearl barley needs about 35 minutes and absorbs a lot of liquid. Added at the beginning of a two hour stew it disintegrates and soaks up the broth you worked for. Add it with 35 minutes left, and check the pot once; if it looks dry, add a cup of hot water.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 3/4 tsp black pepper
Steps
Dry and season the beef
Pat the cubes completely dry with paper towels, then season with 1 teaspoon of salt and half the pepper just before cooking. Wet meat will steam instead of browning.
Brown in two batches
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown half the beef for 2 minutes per side without moving it, then remove and repeat. Crowding the pot is the main reason stew turns out grey.
Cook the mushrooms until they squeak
Add the mushrooms to the empty pot and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their liquid evaporates and the edges brown. Then add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook 5 more minutes.
Deglaze and build the base
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and scrape the browned bits off the bottom. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Simmer 75 minutes
Return the beef, add the stock, thyme, bay leaves, and remaining salt. Bring to a bare simmer, cover partly, and cook 75 minutes until the beef yields easily to a fork.
Add barley for the last 35 minutes
Stir in the barley and simmer uncovered 30 to 35 minutes until tender but still chewy. Add hot water if it thickens too much, then rest 10 minutes before serving.
Getting This Right in Less Time
- A pressure cooker cuts the first stage to 35 minutes at high pressure. Add the barley afterward and simmer on the saute setting.
- Stew tastes better on day two. Cool it fully before refrigerating and reheat gently on the stove.
- Skip the wine and use a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end for the same brightening effect.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 445 kcal |
| Protein | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Sodium | 760 mg |
