"Mulligan" Beef & Barley Skillet Stew
Sides, Soups & Salads
If you've ever stared down a bottomless cup of coffee at a diner counter on a rainy Tuesday night, you know the singular comfort of the Blue Plate Special. Mulligan stew was born in the makeshift rail camps of the early 1900s before migrating to the highway menus of America. Real diner stews aren't fussy, and they don't take all day. The short-order cook doesn't have five hours to braise short ribs; they have a screaming hot flat-top, a heavy spatula, and a lineup of hungry drivers. By cutting the beef small, searing it hard, and wielding a heavy spatula to aggressively scrape the cast iron, you capture every ounce of caramelized fond, recreating that thick, stick-to-your-ribs Route 1 magic in under an hour.
Before you start
Prepare your mise en place before the skillet gets hot.
In a diner, once the ticket prints, you can't be stopping to chop carrots. Have your onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes diced and ready in containers before you drop the meat.
Ingredients
- beef chuck1 1/2 lb
- all-purpose flour3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- coarse black pepper1 tsp
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- carrots2 med
- celery2 med
- garlic3 med cloves
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- high-quality beef broth4 cup
- pearl barley1/2 cup
- Russet potato1 large
- dried thyme1 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- frozen mixed vegetables1 cup
- fresh parsley1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Toss the dried beef with the flour, salt, and pepper until thoroughly coated.
Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, so ensure the beef is completely dry before dredging.
- 02
Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until radiating heat.
- 03
Sear the beef in two batches without touching for three minutes to build a crust, then flip and sear two minutes more before removing to a plate.
Overcrowding the pan traps moisture and steams the meat, ruining the development of the dark, crusty fond left behind on the iron.
- 04
Lower the heat to medium, add the butter, onions, carrots, and celery, and aggressively scrape the bottom of the skillet with a stiff metal spatula.
This is the SCRAPE—the absolute hallmark of flat-top cooking. You are transferring the caramelized, floury beef bits from the iron directly into the vegetables.
- 05
Cook the vegetables until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- 06
Push the vegetables to the perimeter, drop the tomato paste into the center, and cook for 60 seconds until it darkens to a rust color before stirring it all together.
This pincé technique cooks out the tinny flavor of the canned paste.
- 07
Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, then return the beef to the skillet along with the barley, potatoes, thyme, and oregano.
- 08
Bring to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 30 minutes until the beef and barley are tender.
If your skillet lacks a lid, cover it tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- 09
Remove the cover, stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
This brief finish retains their bright color and snap. The starch from the flour, potatoes, and barley should have reduced the broth into a rich gravy.
- 10
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Best paired with a side of buttered white toast or a split diner biscuit for sopping up the gravy.
Notes
Skillet size matters.
A 12-inch cast-iron skillet is highly recommended to prevent overflowing. If you only have an 8-inch or 10-inch skillet, execute the sear and the SCRAPE in the cast iron, then transfer everything to a Dutch oven before adding the broth and simmering.
Use pearl barley, not hulled.
Pearl barley is mandatory for this short-order timeline. Do not use hulled barley, as it takes far too long to cook and will ruin the pacing of the dish.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.