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Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew
February 12, 2026
This comforting one-bowl dinner is perfect for chilly winter nights. Rather than beef stew, I prefer London broil, chuck eye roast, or another inexpensive boneless cut of meat. It’s meatier and easier to work with than the fatty cuts sold as beef stew. Just freeze it for a couple of hours before cutting it into cubes.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1½ cups barley
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
1½ lb. beef, cubed
1 8-oz. box fresh mushrooms, sliced
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups water
Directions:
Place barley in enough water to cover by at least 2 inches.
Agitate, then set aside to soak for 20–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil over high heat in a large, wide pot or Dutch oven.
Add onion; sauté for 5 minutes, until browned.
Move onion to side of pot.
Add beef; brown on all sides for 20 minutes.
Drain and rinse barley.
Add barley, mushrooms, spices, and water to pot.
Stir well.
Cover pot and cook over medium-low heat for 2 hours.
If you’re serving multiple shifts, keep warm over very low heat, adding water if needed.