Beef & Barley Pie

Barley has a storied history that extends well beyond the beef and barley soup. It’s Canada’s fourth largest crop, after wheat, canola and corn, and is an ancient grain that has been grown and consumed for thousands of years. In North America, barley is used for pet food, as a malt for brewing beer, and what it’s perhaps most famous for, as an ingredient in soup. But its applications go far beyond these examples. This is Canada’s homegrown wholegrain. Dried, it lasts for months. Ground, it makes a cake-like bread. Cooked, it triples in size and provides an ample amount of fiber. Its nutty flavor blends well with winter vegetables.

The beef-barley combination is a classic that is cooked in many households across the globe. Usually, it comes up in the form of either soup or stew but today I’m incorporating the combo in a ‘pie’ with potatoes.

Beef & Barley Pie is a rustic dish with plump barley and tender beef. It’s savory and satisfying with flavors that are reminiscent of the classics. This is a ‘no fuss’ easy to make meal.

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Beef & Barley Pie
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a DEEP 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.
  2. Place half of the butter in a large skillet over low heat & sauté leek, onion & mushrooms for 5 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a plate & set aside.
  3. Add olive oil to pan, increase heat to high. When oil is hot, add beef & brown. Transfer to a separate plate. Add garlic & barley to pan, season with salt & pepper & cook for 1 minute then return beef to pan & stir to combine.
  4. Place half the potatoes in base of pie pan. Layer meat over top followed by leek mixture. Use back of a spoon to flatten contents of pie, the overlap remaining potatoes on top. Pour in beef broth & sprinkle with thyme. Cover with foil & bake for about 2 hours.
  5. Remove from oven, top with grated cheese, return to oven & bake uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes or until pie is golden. Remove from oven & serve with a vegetable of choice.