Tailgaters' Favorite Stew

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon ( 4 oz/125 g)
• 1.5 cups barley rinsed drained (see tips)
• 2  bay leaves 
• 2 lbs stewing beef dry trimmed cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and patted
• 2 cups beef broth 
• 2  carrots diced peeled
• 0.3 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1 cup cooking wine dry red
• 0.3 cup flour all-purpose
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1  juice of orange grated
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
• 2  onions finely chopped
• 0.5 tsp cracked peppercorns black
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 can tomato paste ()
• 1 cup water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• paper towels
• pot
• slotted spoon
• slow cooker

Directions

1. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp.
2. Drain on a paper towel and crumble. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Drain off all but 2 tbsp (30 mL) fat from pan, reserving remainder.
4. On a plate, combine flour, salt and peppercorns. Dredge beef in mixture until coated, discarding any excess.
5. Add beef to pan, in batches, and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per batch, adding more bacon drippings between batches if necessary. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware as completed.
6. Reduce heat to medium.
7. Add onions, celery and carrots to pan and cook, stirring, until carrots are softened, about 7 minutes.
8. Add garlic, bay leaves, nutmeg and orange zest and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
9. Add barley and tomato paste and stir well.
10. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. DO AHEAD: Complete Step 3, heating 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil in pan before softening the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you're ready to cook, complete the recipe.
11. Transfer to stoneware.
12. Add broth and water and stir well. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours, until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves. Stir in reserved bacon, orange juice and cayenne. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
13. Tips
14. If you are halving this recipe, be sure to use a small (approx. 2 to 3 quart) slow cooker.The orange zest and juice add wonderful depth to this stew.Use the variety of barley you prefer—pearled, pot or whole. Whole (also known as hulled) barley is the most nutritious form of the grain.Variation:Substitute wheat, spelt or Kamut berries for the barley.