Why I love this recipe: whole grain barley is particularly rich in nutrients that are hard to find, like molybdenum, manganese, selenium, copper, chromium, phosphorus, magnesium and B vitamins (B1 and niacin). Barley is a great source of insoluble fibre, adding bulk to stools and reducing your likelihood of constipation. Barley is also packed with lignans, which are a group of antioxidants linked to risk reduction of cancer and heart disease, and beta-glucans to help with cholesterol.
Best way to prepare barley: dehydrated/dried barley pearls should be hydrated the night before using them in recipes to encourage sprouting and fermentation. This extra step improves the breakdown of phytic acid to release phosphorus found within barley.
Ingredients:
- 1 cut of Organic/grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free beef shank
- 3/4 cups of dehydrated/dried barley pearls
- 3 carrots washed and sliced into half inch discs
- 3 celery sticks washed and chopped
- half a leak washed and chopped
- 3-5 garlic cloves
- 3-5 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of dehydrated sage leaves or 2 sprigs of fresh sage leaves (you can leave them on the twigs because the leaves will fall off during the cooking process)
- 4 cups of filtered water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
- Prepare the barley by submerging them in filtered water overnight
- Next day, place the barley with its water and add 1 more cup of water, bring to boil. Once the water reaches boiling temperature, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook the barley for 30 mins. During this time, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients for the stew (wash and slice/chop)
- Once everything is ready, throw all your ingredients in one large cooking pot over the stove (you can use an Instapot if you have one; I use the “meat” pre-set option on high heat for 30 mins). Bring all the contents to boiling temperature, then turn the heat down once boiling temperature is reached. Place a lid on the pot with a small opening and cook for at least 3 hours or until the meat has fallen off the bone. If using the Inspot, after the 30 minutes, I use the “soup” pre-set option on low heat for 3 hours.
- Add salt and pepper at the end to your taste.
Dr. Carole Chueng, ND