Family Chow Hall

Beef-Barley Stew

December 8th, 2005

I can think of nothing better on a cold winter day that a bowl of beef stew and a fluffy biscuit. So, it doesn’t exactly get cold in South Texas, but today it’s as close as it’s gonna get. Besides, when you get used to 98 degrees, 45 feels pretty cold.

This is an easy dish for the kids to make — mine are usually eager to take over when it’s beef stew time. Just get out the crock pot and let them dump the food in.

I pressure-can my own beef, which makes a roast very tender and makes it extra-easy to prepare dishes like these. Look for canned beef in the grocery or use ground beef or leftover roast.

Beef-Barley Stew
serves 8-10 / prep. time: 5 minutes / cooking time: all day

1 can of beef
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce or paste and water
1 can of beef broth
vegetables - corn, peas, green beans, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, etc.
some of these you may want to boil first, like the potatoes, carrots and such
salt and pepper, and any other seasonings you like
1/2 c. quick barley
1 can of beer (optional)

Prepare the veggies — soft vegetables can go straight into the crockpot, others will have to be cooked first. Shred or chop the beef. If you’re using hamburger, you’re gonna have to brown it in the skillet first. After that, everything just goes into the pot, except for the barley and the beer, which should wait until the last half-hour before serving.

Don’t be afraid to make changes to suit yourself — do you want it thicker, thinner, more veggies, no meat? Go for it!

Entry Filed under: Old-Fashioned Foods, Recipes, Soup, Supper