So, I was getting tired of pasta. I bought about 6 pounds of pasta at Costco and have been trying to use it all up, but I finally had enough, but still wanted to make a soup/stew because it’s what the weather here is inspiring on my meal plan. Using barley is a great way to mix it up and this recipe comes together in a snap. I was hoping my kids would be inspired too – but they pretty much only ate the carrots, which is good with me because I really only like raw carrots, so I gave them mine!
Ingredients:
1 tsp oil
1-1/2 pounds stew meat
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups water
1 – 2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
2/3 cup dry barley
fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat a large heavy pot on medium heat. Add oil and beef, season with a little salt and brown the meat a few minutes.
When meat is browned, add carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and give it a good stir. Add water, salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer covered over low heat until the meat is soft, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Add the barley, adjust the salt if needed and add fresh ground pepper. Simmer an additional 30-35, remove bay leaves and serve.
Trial and Error of All Things Domestic 