Slow Cooker Beef Barley Stew

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 lbs stew meat

• salt and pepper

• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced

• 8 large carrots, peeled and sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 medium/large yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 6 cups beef broth

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 3/4 cup pearl barley

• 1 bay leaf

• chopped fresh parsley

Sprinkle beef generously with salt and pepper. Use a large skillet over medium-high heat to heat oil and then brown beef. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, potatoes, onion, broth, wine, tomato paste, mustard, and thyme, and sir well. Then stir in barley and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Turn heat to low and cook for 2 more hours or until beef is tender. Serve hot, with fresh parsley sprinkled on top with bread.