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Cozy Instant Pot Beef and Barley Stew: Easy 30-Min Recipe

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A rich, soul-warming beef and barley stew made in the Instant Pot in just 30 minutes. Tender beef, chewy pearl barley, and a velvety broth come together for the ultimate comfort food, perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: dice onion, mince garlic, slice carrots and celery, quarter mushrooms, and cut beef into 1-inch cubes. Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Turn Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ on High. Add olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Working in batches, sear beef cubes for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Add diced onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until darkened and fragrant.
  5. Pour in 1/2 cup beef broth and deglaze the pot, scraping up all browned bits.
  6. Return beef to the pot. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, rinsed barley, remaining beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
  7. Secure the lid, set valve to ‘Sealing’. Select ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on High for 30 minutes. Allow 10-15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure.
  8. After cooking, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn valve to ‘Venting’ to release remaining steam.
  9. Open lid, remove bay leaves, stir, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

Don’t skip searing the beef—it’s key for deep flavor. Deglaze the pot well to avoid a ‘Burn’ warning. Natural release is important for perfect barley texture. For a thicker stew, mash some barley against the pot or use a cornstarch slurry. Leftovers thicken overnight; add broth when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot beef stew, beef and barley stew, pressure cooker stew, easy beef stew, comfort food, 30-minute stew

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/cozy-instant-pot-beef-and-barley-stew-easy-30-min-recipe/