Beef Barley Stew

I cheated...I took all of the ingredients (minus the wine, I didn't have any on hand) & dumped them in the crock pot, turned it on low, and 5 1/2 to 6 hours later I had a yummy stew that looks just like the picture posted. Thanks! The flavor is great.

I didn't like the idea of diluting the good flavor of this dish by adding flour and water at the end of cooking. So I dredged the meat cubes in flour and browned them before adding the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. I also added more beef broth than called for because I wanted more of a soup than a stew. I also added cut up fresh green beans with the barley, and some frozen peas 15 minutes before the soup was done. This soup was very good, and I'll be making it again. Thanks for the recipe!

I modified this recipe for cooking in a slow cooker. This involved adding all of the ingredients, except for the vinegar and parsley, all at once. I cooked it in the slow cooker for eight hours. I then added the vinegar and parsley last.

My husband and I just loved this stew!! I used the whole carton of broth vs 1 cup (approx 2 cups). I also added a little bit more barley to compensate for the extra liquid. This one is a keeper for sure. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

This stew is outstanding! We love soups and stews, and this one moves very close to the top of our list. The only changes I made were chopping the mushrooms very finely (to help disguise them from my husband who "hates" mushrooms), reduced the wine to 1/3 cup, and used a whole can of beef broth (instead of 1 cup -- just for convenience). I also doubled the barley to 2/3 c., and therefore increased the water to 2 cups. I did NOT need to use the flour/water to thicken -- it's plenty thick this way! And don't be afraid of the balsamic vinegar -- sounds weird, but it added that little something extra that makes this stew even better! I followed Step #1 as described, but then threw everything into a crockpot and let it cook all day. Absolutely wonderful -- I'm making a double batch next time!

This is great...lots of flavor. I was looking for something different to do with a chuck roast and this was a nice change from a pot roast. I doubled the broth and adjusted the spices and cooking time because I was using more meat, mushrooms, etc. Thanks Diane

This is an excellent recipe. I didn't think I would like the balsamic vinegar addition but turned out to be just what it needed.

I was really looking for a soup but this recipe got such great reviews I decided to try it. I followed the recipe exactly except I added almost the whole can of beef broth. We absolutely love it, even my 4 year old enjoyed it. I will definately make this again for my family. It will definately warm you up on a cold winter day.

Super wonderful recipe! I used canned mushrooms and left out the vinegar and celery. I also didn't bother to thicken it. It was DELICIOUS! Thanks for submitting it!

I loved the taste of this stew..the recipe was perfect for my taste and I made it as is except I added fresh Italian parsley. I have plenty of leftovers to freeze and take to work for lunch, too. Delicious.

Very easy and tastes delicious. Brown the beef as in step one then toss everything in the crock pot for 6 hours. I've made this for the family several times. Great on a cold winter night!

Very tasty; I will make this again. I followed the recipe exactly except that I coated the meat in flour/salt/pepper before cooking it (no need to add flour later as this provided a nice thick base). My only other recommendation would be to add a bit more barley--1/3 cup didn't seem like enough, if you're serving the stew on its own. Next time I'll add at least 2/3 cup.

I'm giving this 5 stars because it is absolutely delicious. One of the best recipes I've tried in a long time. I used the ingredients as written, but adapted the methodology to make in the slow cooker. I coated the meat in flour, salt, and pepper and browner it on the stove. Then I added all ingredients except mushrooms, barley, and vinegar to the slow cooker and cooked on low for 6 hours. When there was 1 1/2 hrs left on the timer I added the barley and mushrooms. I added the vinegar at the very end as instructed. The sauce was a nice consistency and the flavor was fantastic. My husband, houseguests, and even our 1 yr old ate it up. Thanks for sharing.

I make lots of good soups, but this is one of the best I ever made. Extended family were still talking about it days later. A few notes on my preparation: prepared the beef as others did, by dredging and browning first; sauteed mushrooms separately and added towards the end; omitted wine (my husband doesn't like it when added to soups); omitted balsamic vinegar.

Didn't have red wine so I dumped in a little sherry and added a little extra barley and skipped the flour thickening. This was a delicious stew. Looking forward to leftovers and will definately make again.

It was filling, but not one of our favorites. I won't bother making this again.

I used chicken broth instead of beef, and increased the amount to two cups. Like a previous reviewer, I dredged the meat in flour before browning and skipped the added flour in step 3. I also added some frozen peas at the end. We LOVED this recipe - great for family dinner or entertaining company.

This is a really simple dish that's a crowd pleaser & warming. I used chicken broth instead of beef because it's what I had, and I floured and fried my meat in the oil - which means I didn't add flour at the end. I double the amount of stock & barley & let it simmer an extra hour. The dish came out perfectly. Thick, rich & complex. A winner.

Absolutely delicious! My husband wants me to make this all the time. It takes a bit of time to make, but the directions are simple and it is so worth it!

Fabulous!! I made this for company and everybody loved it. This had soo much flavor everyone commented it didn't need any extra seasoning. The only substitution I made was I used fresh white mushrooms instead of portabellos. Next time I will make a double batch in hopes of having left overs. I would also like a little more barley.

This is hearty and delicious, and I make it rather often. The mushrooms, wine, bay leaves and thyme really add a lot of flavor and complexity to the dish. And the barley adds textural dimension-- it's almost kind of nutty-- and fiber. This is a real stick to your ribs kind of one pot meal.

AWESOME! Used ground beef instead of beef stew meat (it happened to be cheaper), but the wine flavour (and the balsamic vinegar!) is an AMAZING twist on a dish I already love. Will be making this a staple in my recipe repertoire.

This recipe is unbelievably flavorful and tasty. I made just a couple modifications. 1. I used about 1.85 lbs of beef. 2. Used 4 cloves of garlic vs. 2. 3. Dredged the beef in flour and browned before adding the veggies. This eliminated the need to add the flour / water mixture later. It thickened perfectly without the need of adding more fluid. Was a nice soupy consistency. My hubby said it's a keeper!

I made this for a second time with much better results. I used more beef and made sure to use wine to get a nice depth of flavour. I'm eating leftovers from the freezer today for lunch and it's just as yummy as when I first made it! I will be making this again!

I make this for friends when they have a new baby (saves them a day or two cooking). Everyone always LOVES it and asks for the recipe.

Did this in the crock pot and it turned out well. Good with a salad and some crusty bread.

I am thinking, "Why didn't I make more!" Yummy, Yummy, Yummy! Ate two bowl fulls and have to save the rest for the family. LOL. Grrr. Okay, this is what I did. Close to 3 lbs. of a Bottom Round Roast - cut it into cubes. Floured them with salt and pepper. Then browned them. The carrots, celery, onions, mushroom (regular used 6), chopped in my chopper really fine. (Get more into the bellies of those who don't like it). LOL. Sauted with meat. Used white wine. 1/2 a cup. Used a whole can of chicken broth. (All I had for both). Stewed tomatoes - chopped in chopper. Add all the rest of the ingredients as listed. But put more water. Say about 2 1/2 cups total, as I went along. I used the 1tsp of Balsamic Vinegar. That was really good with it. Well, it turned out "The Best". Will be making this again and again. Thank you for adding it on AllReceipes!

Cover your meat with seasoned flower and sear in hot oil ... meat will be juicy and soft. This will also eliminate the need to thicken at the end. I use elk meat and it is was wonderful.

Absolutely my favorite stew recipe. I dredge the meat in flour and sear it first, and usually don't have to add flour at the end.

Fabulous recipe! This was without a doubt the best beef barley stew I've ever eaten. I didn't use celery or the roux to thicken and used chestnut mushrooms instead of portobello and 2 cups of beef broth instead of 1. The splash of balsamic vinegar at the end was a stoke of genius. Note: The recipe yields a smaller amount than I thought though, so you may want to consider doubling it it you want a big pot.

I'm not a beef eater so didn't try this stew; however, my husband LOVED it! I doubled the amount of barley to make it a little hearier and used chicken stock instead of beef stock b/c that is what I had in the house. Still garnered a great review and I will definitely make this one again.

I made this recipe in the crockpot, but otherwise as per the recipe, with one exception. I didn't add the roux to thicken. It was liquid, but so hearty it didn't need thickening. I liked it a lot and will make it again, but it is not a traditional beef and barley taste. If that's what you have a hankering for, this won't do it.

This was an amazing meal and we had left-overs for a 2nd day, even with my bf's amazing appetite! lol I did however make a few minor changes: I doubled the garlic (4 cloves) because I love garlic I also substituted 1 can of diced tomatoes for the stewed because that's what I had on hand and I tripled the barley (1 full cup) because it just didn't seem enough to me. There was STILL plenty of liquid. Altogether though a very wonderful recipe

Tossed everything in the crock pot and had a wonderful meal! Very hearty and delicious!

Yummy and filling on a cold day. The balsamic vinegar at the end add a nice touch and the portobellos are much heartier than the "regular" mushrooms. Even better on day 2.

This was delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. The only change I would make next time is to put less carrots. There were way too many. I think 1 to 1 1/2 cups would be sufficient (for me). Will make this again and again. Thanks!

Wow - this stew is FANTASTIC! I don't care for potatoes in stew. Odd... I know, but it made this stew recipe very appealing. I made a couple minor modifications - oregano instead of thyme, all beef stock instead of water + an extra cup of stock to make a more broth-y end product, and I thickened with cornstarch instead of flour). The finished stew was rich with a beautiful layered flavor. The red wine and balsamic vinegar give the broth a nice complexity of flavor. I'm looking forward to enjoying this stew reheated for lunch this week.

Very good! Very savory! I omitted the mushrooms since no one in our family likes them much. I also added a whole can of beef broth as opposed to just a cup. I doubled the barley as well because the 1/3 c. didn't seem like enough. It was delicious! The flavors of the red wine and balsamic give this a restaurant quality you might not find in the average beef/barley soup or stew. You could serve this to guests on a cold evening and you'd be sure to get raves. I served this with homemade french bread. Yum, yum, yum!

This was so delish. Like others, I browned my meat and vegetables on the stove, and then added everything else to the crockpot. I ommitted the mushrooms, but compensated with more celery and carrots. Also, I used 1/2 cup of barley and added 1 extra cup of water. It turned out perfect. I will make this again and again.

This is an excellent recipe. I made a few small changes. I added a 28oz can of chopped tomatoes and left out the 1 c water. I precooked the barley in 1 c beef stock(use "better than bouillon" a great product)for 15'. I left out the balsamic as the stew was already very sweet(muir glen tomatoes) and I left out the flour/water. It did'nt need any thickening. DEELICIOUS!

I have been making "my beef stew" for years...Hubby always loved it....until I tried this recipe today. He said "this is a 'man's' stew and on a scale from 1 to 5, this is definately, a 6!!" I was saddened until I tasted it....WOW..enough said. :)

Barley beef stew should taste like barley, and beef. This tastes like wine and vinegar. At 8:30pm, fter 3 hours of simmering, and without having eaten all day, I didn't finish half of my cup.

I used this recipe as a backbone but adjusted to taste. I cubed and browned three pounds of blade roast, then sauteed a pound of mushrooms on top of the fond the meat left behind. I then sauteed 2 diced onions and most of a head of garlic. I added the browned meat back into the pot, dumped in 8 roughly chopped carrots, added a can of diced tomatoes, 2 cups of lamb stock I had made for another recipe, one cup of shiraz wine, about a half cup of pearl barley, three bay leaves, and probably close to a tablespoon thyme. I did not add any flour to thicken it, completely forgot the celery, and chose to omit the vinegar as it was stupendous without it. The lamb stock added a very nice richness to the stew and browning the meat added a tremendous depth of flavor.

Absolutely my favorite stew. I love the balsamic at the end. It's so delicious. For me, any excuse to put balsamic vinegar into a dish is a good one. My husband doesn't like it though, so I just added it at the table the bowls of those who wanted it. Unfortunately I'm a bit of a dud when it comes to wine, so instead of buying a whole bottle for a family that doesn't drink it, I just doubled my broth. Truthfully-bay leaves are hit or miss for me, but they didn't bug me here. Also, I think I think I remember adding a bit more barley, but I like it really thick. It was so delicious! I'll be making this again soon!

Very good! Very savory! I omitted the mushrooms since no one in our family likes them much. I also added a whole can of beef broth as opposed to just a cup. I doubled the barley as well because the 1/3 c. didn't seem like enough. It was delicious! The flavors of the red wine and balsamic give this a restaurant quality you might not find in the average beef/barley soup or stew. You could serve this to guests on a cold evening and you'd be sure to get raves. I served this with homemade french bread. Yum, yum, yum!

Probably my best slow cooker product to date. I adapted the recipe to the slow cooker by simply adding everything except the barley and mushrooms until there were about 2 hours left on the slow cooker. I also substituted lamb and bison (had sitting in the freezer) for beef and also added potatoes.

Very tasty and easy to make. I made with lamb instead of beef and it turned out great. I doubled the barley -- next time I will probably do about 50% more instead. Also, I'll reduce the carrots to about half.

my family loved this stew.

If I could have described what I wanted a beef barley stew to taste like, this would be it. I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of doubling the garlic and using 1/2 cup of barley. I'll probably use a full cup of barley next time, since there was still plenty of liquid to support the additional barley. The flavors complement each other beautifully. I thought it was delicious even before adding the balsamic vinegar at the end. The vinegar's taste was so overpowering immediately after I added it that I thought maybe I should have left it out. I let the stew sit and after a while it blended with everything else, so I would say maybe not to wait until just before serving to add the vinegar. Thanks very much for a great recipe that I'm going to use frequently.

This is a hearty, delicious soup. I made it for an evening gathering on a cold winter night, and it was absolutely a hit. I used sirloin steak and let it cook maybe 4 hours and it was very tender. Do NOT skip the balsamic vinegar ending. It MAKES the soup stand out. Your guests will never guess it's in there: it's very subtle but makes the soup distinctive.

This was delicious! I followed the advice from another review and did not add the flour and water. It turned out great. Balsamic right before serving brings just the kick that makes the dish something you want to share. I served it with beer bread last weekend and I plan to make another pot of this stew tomorrow. Thanks!

did not add wine

Very good stew. The balsamic vinegar adds an interesting flavour. I only needed 1/2 the amount of flour/water mixture to thicken it up.

I have to agree...This was fantastic! I made the recipe using venison, and it turned out great. I often am afraid of adding wine to a dish, because it can easily become the dominant flavor. However, not in this recipe. All of the flavors were well balanced. This is a definate do-over.

So tasty ... I doubled the recipe and added two small turnips ... mmmm ... so delicious ... will make this for company ~~

Very good. I omitted the red wine and a cup of water, and I added another can of stewed tomatoes. The consistency was great as was the flavor

Shake meat in flour, added two portabella mushrooms, followed recipe exactly. Used can of chopped tomatoes. No celery

I was disappointed with the end result. I was expecting a more robust, heartier stew. I ended up adding some tomato paste, brown sugar, a concentrated beef broth (nearly a demi-glaze) along with various herbs and spices.

Great stew. I added a green and red pepper, califlower and babay bella mushrooms. I did not add the wine and felt it didn't need it. I did have to cook it for about 2 hrs and the barley was still crunchy. But this had great flavor.

Really great stew. I skipped the flour because I didn't see a need to add it. Next time I'll try it in the slow cooker. The balsamic vinegar adds a great zing.

This recipe allows quite a bit of versatility with ingredients. Tastes great and is fairly easy to prepare.

In my opinion, there was too much wine in this recipe. It just didn't have the right flavor - I ate half a bowl and my son and husband took just 2 bites - with encouragement. I have used red wine in other soups, but this was overpowering. I would cut the wine in at least half, but since I have a better recipe for beef barley soup, I'm not planning on making this again.

Doubled the recipe and it made a ton! Very tasty.

Good recipe, but my husband thought something was missing. I have no idea what the missing element is, though. It's a keeper regardless. Very hearty.

This is the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold winter day! Rather than add the flour at the end, I put it into a ziploc bag, added salt, pepper and garlic powder, then shook the stew beef in it. Threw it all in the pot with the olive oil and browned the beef that way, first, then added the remaining ingredients. Followed other suggestions - 2 cups beef broth and 1 cup wine. Use whatever kind of mushrooms are on sale. Used quick cooking barley - doubled up. Added a can of peas with their juice, which gave it a nice little depth. The longer you cook it, the better it is!

I made this recipe exactly as written, without changes. As written, I thought it was a little rich (not necessarily a bad thing!). Next time, I'd cut the wine in half and add more barley- most of the reviews here seem to recommend 1/2 a cup. All in all, this is a really hearty and full-flavoured winter soup that I'll certainly make again.

We made this in a dutch oven over over a wood fire camping and it was marvelous (even without the balsamic vinegar and parsley that I forgot to put in!) I followed the recipe exactly and got rave reviews from some pretty picky folks!

Extremely flavorful. I, like another, looking for soup, so, left out the flour and water thickener, added another cup of B-broth, used the vinegar. The explosion of that first bite was exhilarating! Nice with some buttery warm Pillsbury grands!!! Thank you.....

I haven't written a review before, but this time I felt I must. It was fantastic. I like hearty meals so I added more barley, carrots, and onion. Since I used more barley I didn't add the flour. I added more wine when it need more liquid. It tuned our great! Everyone liked it. I found that the flavor even improved the second day.

Excellent Stew! I used 1/2 cup of barley instead of 1/3, and added some Mrs. Dash Steak Seasoning. Used more thyme and bay also. Other than that kept to the recipe. I did cook it for much longer, probably around 2 1/2 hours before adding the barley and at least another hour after. Next day leftovers are still amazing.

Love this stew. So delicious and hearty on a cold day. I didn't add flour and water because it was thick enough. I added some frozen peas when I added the barley. I think any vegetable you like can be added. Great dish!

EXCELLENT stew! I usually just toss stuff in a pot, but I wanted a different taste this time. The wine really brings out a good flavor and the whole stew is so hearty. I tripled the recipe so I had plenty to share!

This was wonderful - I doubled the quantities and used white button mushrooms - will def. make again - yum!

I used a cheap, really cheap, cabernet sauvignon wine and it made the stew too bitter, but still edible. I'll make this again with a better wine and I'm sure it will be fabulous!

I made this for a casual dinner with friends. What a hit! I had to add extra water, wine and beef broth because we like more "sugo" in our stews. Has anyone calculated the nutritional info on this recipe?

Stew meat

Kind of bland but otherwise good.

This is SO SO SO good! Loved it! It is absolutely delicious and hearty. Added 3 cloves of chopped garlic, dredged the meat in flour like a few suggested, added extra barley and broth, and I chopped two potatoes into it. It's a wonderful recipe and will become a regular in my cooking rotation! YUM!!!! Definitely "company worthy"!!

Eating it as I'm typing this and it's delicious! The only thing I changed is that I put 1 cup of barley instead of 1/3 cup, which made it much thicker than in the picture, but I love it this way. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

OmiGosh!! I made this stew(I made soup)for dinner the night before last. My DH and grown son, finished off the entire pot, minus my one bowl, in one night. I followed the recipe to the letter, except for doubling the entire recipe. definitly will be making this again. I was very reluctant to begin with about putting the wine into the recipe, but was oh so glad that i did when all was said and done. My Son and DH raved over this one. Will most decidedly go into the family recipe box. Thanks so much for sharing.

Great starter recipe! I also used the flower while browning the meat and added more broth to the original recipe and I added fresh rosmary and asparagus. It was delicious.

Excellent flavors! This is a huge hit in my house :) I did end up putting 3 cups of beef broth in vs the 1 cup but kept everything else the same. Thanks!

This recipe was excellent. The balsamic vinegar made it surprisingly tasty.

Really great. I added more beef broth. Thanks!

This stew is goooood!

I thought this stew was bland and had very little flavor. On a positive note the meat was very tender. I would not try again.

This was great! I will definately make this one again.

Excellent, easy to make. I put all ingredients into slow cooker, added a little more beef broth and water, let cook for 6 hours. Great recipe, my husband loved it.

Fantastic. My favorite beef and barley stew recipe.

This stew is so good and freezes well too! I love all the fresh veggies in it! So thick and hearty, makes a great meal

Wow...this stew is unbelievable! Very tasty. Next time around I think I will add more barley. Like a user before me, I also dredged the beef in flour before browning.

Extremely flavorful. I quite often use wild game for this dish as well. Moose was the best.

Great recipe! I did make some changes: I added a whole 14 oz. can of beef broth and approx. 1/2 cup of barley. I also did not add the flour at the end, because I felt it didn't need to be thickened. I will definitely make this again, and my husband loved it as well. Will probably use a little less wine next time to make it taste more beefy and less winey.

Yummy! Really great hearty meal! I froze the extras in lunch size portions for my husband- He LOVED it!! When we ran out he was so disappointed! I highly recommend this recipe.

The best beef barley I've made yet!!

I absolutely love this recipe! The flavors are amazing together. I throw it all in a crockpot and when I come home the aroma is heavenly. I have been asked more than once for this recipe!