Description

A hearty, forgiving slow cooker beef and barley stew perfect for camping trips. It offers zero-stress cooking, rich flavor, and serves as ultimate campfire comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
½ cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
1 cup pearl barley
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Instructions

Prep the beef: Optionally sear the beef cubes in a skillet with oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. If skipping this step, add raw beef directly to the slow cooker.
Combine ingredients: Transfer beef to the slow cooker. Add diced onion, minced garlic, carrots, potatoes, and celery. Sprinkle in thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth, red wine, and tomato paste. Stir gently to ensure ingredients are submerged.
Cook on Low: Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until the beef is fork-tender. Alternatively, cook on High for 4-5 hours.
Add barley: Stir in the pearl barley during the last 1-2 hours of cooking. Continue cooking on Low until the barley is tender and the stew has thickened. If the stew is too thin, cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
Final seasoning and serve: Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce if using. Serve hot with crusty bread or corn muffins.

Notes

Barley absorbs a lot of liquid, so add it in the last 1-2 hours to prevent mushiness. Searing the beef adds depth of flavor but is optional. For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with mushrooms and use vegetable broth. To make gluten-free, replace barley with quinoa or millet.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 450
Sugar: 5
Sodium: 600
Fat: 15
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 40
Fiber: 6
Protein: 35

Keywords: camping recipe, slow cooker stew, beef and barley, campfire meal, outdoor cooking, easy dinner, hearty stew