Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew

• 1 kg chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
• 200 g pearl barley
• 3 whole carrots, chopped into chunks
• 3 whole celery, sliced
• 1 whole brown onion, diced
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 1 L beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt
• black pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Toss the beef cubes in the flour, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat and brown the beef in batches, about 2 minutes per side — don't crowd the pan or it'll steam instead of brown. This step isn't optional; it's most of the stew's flavour.

   Start 10 min timer
2. 2

   Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker. Add the barley, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.

3. 3

   Whisk the stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce together, then pour over everything in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and thyme.

4. 4

   Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5 hours, until the beef pulls apart with a fork and the barley is tender.

   Start 480 min timer
5. 5

   Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt — the stock's saltiness varies by brand, always check at the end, not the start.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: portion into 6 flat zip-lock bags once fully cooled, up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.