Hungarian Beef & Barley Stew (Instant Pot)
Hearty, rich, flavorful, and so easy to make. No Instant Pot. No worries, the stovetop method is included. And the bang for the buck on this barley beef stew recipe for inflationary times checks all the boxes.
Yield
8 servingsPrep
5 minCook
25 minReady
40 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ½ | pounds |
stewing beef
cut into ½ inch (1.25 cm) cubes |
|
| 2 | tablespoons |
olive oil
or any vegetable oil |
|
| 1 ½ | cups |
onions
chopped, about one good sized onion |
|
| 1 | clove |
garlic
minced, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder |
|
| 28 | ounces |
tomatoes, canned
whole, undrained, chopped |
|
| 3 | cups | water |
|
| ⅔ | cup | pearl barley |
|
| 2 | beef bouillon cubes |
*
|
|
| 1 | tablespoon | sugar |
|
| 1 | tablespoon | paprika |
|
| ½ | teaspoon | salt |
|
| ¼ | teaspoon | caraway seeds |
|
|
sour cream
optional, for serving |
*
|
Directions
Instant Pot
Add the oil to the Instant Pot and choose sauté mode. Dry the stewing beef with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Once the Instant Pot is hot, add the stewing beef and brown the meat.
Add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté for about 4 minutes until the onion is tender.
Add the remaining ingredients: tomatoes, water, barley, beef boullion, sugar, paprika, salt, and caraway seeds, but not the sour cream.
Give it a stir, seal the pot with the lid, set it to high pressure for 15 minutes, and press start.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure to allow the cooking to complete.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Stovetop directions
Heat the oil in a 4-quart (4-liter) saucepan, Dutch oven, or fat to near smoking over medium-high heat. Dry the stewing beef with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
Add the stewing beef and brown the beef cubes on all sides. This process develops a fond, which imparts richer flavor, but don't sweat the small stuff if you're in a hurry.
Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients except sour cream: tomatoes, water, barley, beef boullion, sugar, paprika, salt, and caraway seeds.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until the meat and barley are tender, stirring occasionally.
Top each serving with sour cream, if desired.
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