Slow cooker beef and barley one-pot with zesty gremolata
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Slow cooker beef and barley one-pot with zesty gremolata
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Anna Glover
Anna Glover
Ingredients
- 3-4 tsp olive oil
- 2 x 450g packs extra-lean diced beef, trimmed of any fat
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 carrots, quartered
- 1 litre hot chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 200g pearl barley, rinsed
- 1 x 250g pack chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
For the gremolata
- 1 x 28g pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- zest of 1 large lemon
Step by step
Prepare to the end of step 3 up to 2 days in advance and chill, or freeze.
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Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the slow cooker, or in a nonstick frying pan if your slow cooker doesn’t have a sear/sauté function. Fry the beef pieces in batches until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set to one side. Use another teaspoon of oil, if needed, to fry the rest.
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Heat another teaspoon of oil and add the onion, celery and carrot chunks to the pan. Fry for 10-15 minutes until the onions are translucent. Return the beef to the pan and add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and some seasoning. Add to the slow cooker, if you used a frying pan, and cook for 2-3 hours on low.
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Remove the carrots – enjoy them as a cook’s perk, or eat them on the side; add the pearl barley. Cook for 2-3 hours until the barley and beef are tender. Add a little water if it looks dry. Fry the mushrooms in a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan on high for 3-4 minutes. Season; add to the stew for the last 15 minutes.
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For the gremolata, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl, and scatter it over the beef and barley to serve.
TipOVEN COOKING: Cook for 1-1½ hours at 140°C, fan 120°C, gas 1 in step 2, and a further 1-1½ hours after adding the pearl barley in step 3.
