By Sarah Butler

Ingredients

• 40g Butter
• 70g Streaky bacon, chopped
• 1.5lb Stewing beef, cut into cubes
• 1 Beef OXO cube, crushed
• Handful of fresh herbs, chopped – thyme and rosemary
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 1 Stick celery, chopped
• 3 Cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Carrots, cut into large chunks
• 1 Parsnip, cut into large chunks
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 450ml Beef stock
• Handful Pearl barley
• 2 Sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 Bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

Method

1. Melt 10g butter in a casserole pot and fry the bacon pieces until crispy, then set aside.
2. Combine the beef with the crushed OXO cube, herbs, and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; mix everything together well.
3. In the same casserole dish, fry the beef pieces in batches of 7-8 pieces at a time so they don’t stew.
4. The beef does not need to be cooked; it should just be browned outside. Set aside.
5. To the same casserole dish again, melt the remaining 30g butter, add the onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and parsnip, and fry on medium heat for 5-8 minutes.
6. Return the bacon and beef to the vegetables.
7. Mix in the flour to thicken the sauce.
8. Pour over the stock and stir – the meat and vegetables should be just covered in stock.
9. Add the pearl barley, rosemary, bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper.
10. Cover with parchment paper and foil, leaving small gaps to allow steam to escape.
11. Cook on low at 130°C non-fan or transfer to a slow cooker for 3-4 hours.
12. Check occasionally and stir; add a little water if needed.
13. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve with creamy mash.
14. This stew can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
15. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as normal in the oven.