Add your 1 lb beef chuck (cut into ½-inch cubes) to a bowl and sprinkle over 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper. Toss everything together so each little cube gets a good coating — it makes such a difference when you brown it.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, warm 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the seasoned beef in a single layer. Let it brown for a few minutes without touching it — this is where all the flavor builds. Stir and continue browning until the pieces are deeply golden. Remove the beef and set aside.
Add 1 tbsp butter to the pot. Once melted, add the 3 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 1 diced onion. Sauté until the veggies start to soften and pick up those browned bits from the beef.
Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook it down for 1–2 minutes. It should turn a deeper brick red and smell sweet and rich — that’s when you know it’s ready.
Pour in ⅓ cup red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all that delicious fond from the bottom. Let the wine simmer for a minute so the alcohol cooks off.
Add the browned beef back to the pot along with 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, and your 8 cups beef broth. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, stir in 2 tbsp beef bouillon. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Add in the 12 oz sliced mushrooms and ¾ cup barley (rinsed and picked through) and 2 diced Yukon gold potatoes. The mushrooms will look like a lot, but they cook down beautifully and give the broth that earthy coziness.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and let it bubble away until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked — usually around 45 minutes.
Stir in 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley right before serving. It brightens the whole pot and makes the colors pop.
