Beef Stew

A lovely winter warmer - beef stew with vegetables, pearl barley and lentils

Ingredients (feeds four)

Preparation

Beef Stew
StewHere are our ingredients for four. Chop the onions (see here) and the peppers (see here)
StewPeel and cut the carrot (first longitudinal through the middle and then into slices)
StewNow we marinate the beef with some Worcester Sauce ...
Stew... and a clove or garlic.
StewAdd some salt and pepper and let sit for half an hour.
StewFry the chopped onion in olive oil ...
Stew... and add the beef once the onions start to change colour.
StewWhen the beef is brown, add the peppers and fry together for another couple of minutes.
StewThen add your glass of wine and 750 ml of water.
StewThis is what is known in gastronomic circles as a beef stock cube :-) - I love the African expression "corrige maman" (freely translated as "correct your mum's cooking") for it - and that's what we will add here unless you had 750 ml of beef stock instead of the water...
StewNow it's time to add the dried spices (salt, pepper, paprika, oregano) ...
Stew... and the carrot.
StewNow we add the pearl barley,
Stewthe lentils ...
Stew... and a teaspoon of Sambal Oelek (hot chilli) if you want a bit of spicyness in your stew - you can leave that out if you'd rather not have it spicy. Put a lid on the saucepan and let the stew stew for two hours (or until the beef is tender). Do stir occasionally - you shouldn't have to add water but if it all gets soaked up by the barley and the lentils, please add some.
StewHere served with "Spaetzle".

Best with ...

homemade pasta or rice or potatoes or Spaetzle - accompanied by a green salad.

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Rating 8.61/10 with 175 individual rating(s) given. Minimum rating 2, maximum rating 10

Comments:

10or if you want to go old fashioned you could just have water in a saucepen put all your vedgebales and meat in it and then just cook it there you have a old fashioned made stew and none of that stock cube or oxo cub or grazy stuff just water
7Be handy to have a print so not having to pop back and fore kitchen & computer. Minor gripe. Thankyou for the recipe. I am cooking now. Fingers crossed.
8Excellent. I will try it. Just bought braising steak, hope that will work. Is it necessary to soak the lentils? You are bookmarked. More please! If this works for me and my Russian wife, you may actually get 11 out of 10. R
10Brilliant Thankyou very much,just about 2 attempt my first stew from scratch =)
10Well detailed Android very helpful indeed, best site ever! Keep the good work up.
10great in the slow cooker!
10How long do pearl barley and red lentills last in the cupboard ?i can remember my old Mum using them forever
10We've done this many times now and it is absolutely gorgeous. It brings silence to the dining table!
10delicious will definetly make again
10Try tomatoes and cider for stock. Always add mushrooms and mopre garlic. Dumplings and potato wedges as a side dish. Sod the diet!
10looks good
8thanks great help not sure bout spaetzle thoug mmm
8This is very good thank you
10nice work love the pics very helpful
10Top stuff, helped me no end with the pictures, stew turned out brilliant!
10pics very helpful - thanks! didn't have peppers - used parsnip instead
10wooooow
10hey found it really helpful ma!! AWESOME site... :) Keep it up... Mary Palaiti
10This page is excellent
10great there are pics too find that very helpful when trying oiut this dish thank you very tasty even if some maybe put off by the lentils , honestly give it a go ! , its tasty !
9Really good stew and though spaetzle looks unappetising it is perfect for he stew - it contrasts with the spicyness and is good for moping up the liquid in it. The lentils and pearly barley good well too. Thanks
10here it goes XD
9great effort
9thank you! I had some pearl barley, some stewing steak and a pack of seasonal veg (suede, turnip, carrot, cabbage, celery)and was wondering what to do with them. Found this recipe on the internet and roughly followed it, without the lentils or peppers. NO need for sambal or even the stock cube - the natural flavours of the other ingredients are just perfect. Left it to stew for about 2½ hours. Bloomin´ lovely!!
10love it great to follow for this dum ass guy.
8how can 1 go wrong -love the pictures
10for a novice stewer this was very clear and easy to get to grips with.pity the spaetzle spoiled the finished look, apart from that brilliant.
9I made this all the time - brilliant! (Not with the Spaetzle or Hot Chilli though) Best with Crusty Bread Thank you!
4Completely overdone with seasoning (chilli paste is most unnecessary), Worcester sauce, salt, pepper and stock are more than enough unless making goulash. No idea why final picture was included as it looks like prison food. Also anyone who cant spare AT LEAST two hours to cook a stew need not bother as the slower the cook the richer the flavour
8Easy to follow recipe for a sumptuous Beef Stew, I do agree,however that the final picture with the Spaetzle doesn´t look very appetising!
10I cooked this at our Carp & Cat fishing venue in France which has a restaurant for a number of my French friends and added dumplings. They loved it and have taken the recipe to make it themselves. I am not a chief just love cooking. Many thanks and a excellent site.
10Excellent for a beginner like myself
10Cool !|
7A comment about NOT using Stewing steak would help this excellent recipe. Braising steak or brisket (unrolled) produces even better results. Stewing steak can be awful even though its's (slightly) cheaper)
10Very nice!!!
10Simplicity itself. How can anyone go wrong with such detailing.
7Excellent tasty dish & easy to prepare.
10Fab, accurate instructions.....to the novice the pics really help.
4Flavour okay,but 2hrs cooking time was too long
10OMMMGZZZ11 DIS RESSIPPEEE WOZ WEELLL GUD! DA BEZTEST EVAARRR!
10sounds lovely but i'll add and take out ingrediants i don't wish to add or do wish to add thanks
10Looking at the comments this dish looks yummy! My mum is cooking it, hopefully it is. :)
2no time for cooking, surly one of the most important things!NULL
10easy 2 make but put off a bit on last picture !!!!! scrumptios
10was put off by last picture!!!
10i stirred this little gem with the side of my chopper and the chilli burnt my japs eye,top marks mate.
10mmmmmmmmm very tasty but next time I make it Im leaving the lentils out because my partner will leave me if I ever fart ike that again !!!!
10it looks very tasty I´m making it today mmmmmm!!! grazie
9it's very tasty i did not like the last picture but thought i would give it a go glad i did as it was spot on
9looks pretty easy to follow, going to cook it tonight !