Slow Cooked Beef & Barley Stew

• 900 gbeef chuck, cut into 4cm chunks
• 4garlic cloves, minced
• 1litre good beef stock
• 150 gpearl barley, rinsed
• 3 tbspplain flour, divided
• 3carrots, cut into chunky pieces
• 2parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 300 gswede, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
• 2 tbsptomato purée
• 2medium onions, roughly diced
• 4fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 2bay leaves
• Fine salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Pat the beef chunks dry with kitchen paper. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss with the 2 tbsp flour until each piece is lightly coated.
2. 2Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat until it shimmers. Brown the beef in three batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply mahogany. Lift each batch out to a plate.
3. 3Drop the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and scraping, until they're soft and lifting the brown fond off the base. Add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle over the remaining 1 tbsp flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out the rawness.
4. 4Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a full minute until it darkens from red to brick; this drives off the tinny edge. Splash in the Worcestershire sauce, then pour in the beef stock in three additions, stirring constantly so the flour goes silky, not lumpy.
5. 5Return the beef and its juices to the casserole. Add the thyme and bay leaves, bring to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook over low heat for 90 minutes, keeping the liquid barely bubbling.
6. 6Stir in the carrots, parsnips, swede and rinsed barley. Add a little hot water if needed to keep them covered.
7. 7Cover and simmer for another 40–45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the barley and root vegetables are tender and the beef yields easily to a fork. If the beef is still firm, continue gently, adding water as needed.
8. 8Fish out the thyme stalks and bay leaves. Taste the stew and add salt or black pepper if needed.

Per serving

kcal

637

protein

33.9g

fibre

10.1g

carbs

48.8g

fat

34.3g