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Barley & Mushroom Stew

The Forester's Pot

Mushrooms browned hard, then simmered with pearl barley until the pot turns thick and savory. It eats like a meat stew and keeps the whole table warm.

Fork or mugMake-aheadHolds 3h+VegetarianVegan
Prep20 min
Cook1 hr
Total1 hr 20 min
YieldAbout 10 cups

At the table: In a slow cooker on warm, at 140°F or above, up to 4 hours. Add a splash of broth now and then.

Not yet table-tested. This recipe is written from standard, well-known methods and has not been through our test tables yet. The badge changes when it has.

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  1. As written: browned mushrooms and barley in one pot.

  2. Finish with a pan sauce: in a hot skillet, brown a spoon of butter or oil with sliced garlic and thyme, splash in vinegar, and spoon it over each bowl.

  3. Make a mushroom stock from the stems and a handful of dried mushrooms, and use it for the broth.

  4. Serve in hollowed barley-bread trenchers, topped with whole seared oyster mushrooms and toasted hazelnuts.

Cooking at Hearth. The dish as written. Simple, honest, done well.

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Hero sheet

Why nowBarley was the everyday grain of medieval northern Europe, and it is still one of the best sources of fiber in the pantry.

Barley & Mushroom Stew
Illustration generated with AI, not a photo of this recipe.

Ingredients

6

As written: About 10 cups.

Kosher salt means Diamond Crystal. With Morton kosher salt, use about half.

Method

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in one layer and cook without stirring for 4 minutes, then stir and cook 3 minutes more. Move to a plate. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the rest.

    Look forDeep brown at the edges. Crowded mushrooms steam grey instead of browning, so cook them in two batches.

  2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the last tablespoon of oil, the onion, carrots and celery, and cook 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.

  3. Add the barley, broth, bay leaves and browned mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then so the barley doesn't catch.

    Look forThe barley is plump and tender with a little chew, and the stew is thick.

  4. Take out the bay leaves. Stir in the vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley, and taste.

Make ahead

Keeps 4 days in the fridge. The barley drinks the broth overnight, so add a cup of water or broth when you reheat it until steaming hot.

Holding

In a slow cooker on warm, at 140°F or above, up to 4 hours. Add a splash of broth now and then.

Allergens

Contains wheat/gluten (barley). Always check labels on packaged ingredients.

Notes

Pearl barley cooks in about 40 minutes; hulled barley takes nearly twice as long and needs more liquid.

Gluten-free: swap the barley for brown rice or buckwheat groats and cook until tender.

Tavern Night

This dish's twist table (d6)

1–2The classic stands. No twist. Cook it as written.
3Herb swap. Stir in chopped dill or tarragon at the end
4Acid strike. A spoon of grainy mustard stirred into each bowl
5Plating challenge. Serve in mugs with a slice of barley bread on top as a lid
6Host's boon. The Host picks any twist above, or the table invents one. The safety rule still applies.

Roll before you start cooking. No twist ever changes a time, a temperature or how done something must be.