Beef Barley Skillet

Ground beef sauteed with onion, celery, and green pepper, then simmered with canned tomatoes, chili sauce, barley, and a splash of Worcestershire in one skillet. The barley cooks right in the tomato-beef liquid, soaking up flavor as it goes. This is comfort food that practically makes itself.

Everything happens in sequence in a single pan. Brown the beef first, sautee the vegetables in the rendered fat, pour off the excess, then add the liquid and barley. That order matters. The beef fat flavors the vegetables, and draining it before adding the broth keeps the dish from feeling greasy.

A quarter cup of pearl barley doesn’t sound like much, but it swells considerably as it absorbs the tomato-beef broth. By the time it’s tender, the skillet has thickened into something closer to a thick stew than a soup. The chili sauce and Worcestershire add savory depth and a gentle tang that rounds out the sweetness of the canned tomatoes.

The pinch of sugar is there to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and chili sauce. It doesn’t make the dish sweet. It just keeps the flavors in check.

Pro Tips

• Use quick-cooking pearl barley if you want this done faster. Standard pearl barley can take 40-45 minutes to cook through.
• Keep the simmer low. Rapid boiling makes the barley cook unevenly and can make the liquid evaporate before the grain is tender.
• If the liquid absorbs before the barley is done, add water a quarter cup at a time until it finishes cooking.
• This reheats well. Add a splash of water or broth since the barley continues absorbing liquid as it sits.

Variations

• Turkey swap: Use ground turkey instead of beef for a leaner version. Add a teaspoon of oil since turkey renders less fat.
• Spicy version: Stir in a diced jalapeno with the vegetables and use hot chili sauce instead of mild.
• Italian style: Replace the chili sauce with marinara, add Italian seasoning, and top with grated Parmesan.