Beef and Barley Stew with a Bourguignon Twist

Follow our step-by-step guide on how to make Beef and Barley Stew with a Bourguignon Twist.

1. Step 1

   Start by placing the beef stew meat in a bowl and sprinkling it with 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss the meat with flour until it's well coated, shaking off any excess flour. This will help create a nice crust when you brown the beef.

2. Step 2

   Next, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook it, turning occasionally, until it's beautifully browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Once done, transfer the bacon to a large stock pot, but be sure to reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet for later use.

3. Step 3

   In the same skillet, add the floured beef cubes in batches, cooking them until they're browned on all sides. This should take about 8 to 12 minutes. Once browned, transfer the beef to the pot with the bacon.

4. Step 4

   Now, in the skillet, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt with the celery, chopped onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté these vegetables over medium-high heat until they're tender and lightly browned, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes. Once ready, transfer them to the pot as well.

5. Step 5

   Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the red wine and cognac. Carefully return the skillet to the heat and ignite the liquid with a long match or lighter to burn off the alcohol. Once the flames die down, transfer the liquid to the pot.

6. Step 6

   Heat the pot over medium-high heat and stir in the crushed stewed tomatoes, beef broth, beef consomme, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour to let the flavors meld together.

7. Step 7

   After an hour, add the pearl barley to the pot and continue cooking until the barley is tender, which should take about another hour.

8. Step 8

   While the stew is simmering, prepare the pearl onions. Place them in the previously used skillet, covering them with water. Boil until they're tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the onions, reserving about an inch of water in the skillet. Return the onions to the skillet, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar, and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the water evaporates and the onions are nicely browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add these to the stew along with the frozen peas.

9. Step 9

   In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the quartered mushrooms. Sauté them until they're golden brown, about 5 minutes, then add them to the stew. Don't forget to remove and discard the bay leaves at this point!

10. Step 10

    To thicken the stew, mix the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Gradually add this slurry to the stew, about 1 1/2 teaspoons at a time, bringing it to a boil after each addition until you reach your desired thickness. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, garnish your stew with the minced fresh Italian parsley before serving.