How to Cook Barley
| 2 min read
Medically reviewed by Shanthi Appelo, MS, RD
What is the difference between hulled barley and pearl barley?
How to Cook Barley
Total Time:
1 hour
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cooking Difficulty:
Easy
Serving Amount
Ingredients
1 cup hulled or pearl barely
3 cups water or broth
salt, if desired
Instructions
Step 1
Rinse or soak hulled barley in cold water for at least two hours before cooking. This step can be skipped if you are using pearl barley.
Step 2
Boil water or broth in a medium pot and add the barley. Use 3 cups of water or broth for every 1 cup of uncooked barely. Once cooked, this yields 3 cups of cooked barley. According to your preferences and health needs, add salt or seasoning to enhance the flavor.
Step 3
After putting in the barley, turn the heat from high to medium and allow the pot to simmer covered 25 to 30 minutes for pearl barley and 45 to 60 minutes for hulled barley. You will know it's cooked when the grain has absorbed all or almost all the water, expanded in size and is soft but chewy.
Step 4
When barley is cooked, you might have a small amount of liquid left at the bottom of the saucepan. If there is any liquid left, drain the barley with a fine mesh colander or turn off the heat, stir the barley, cover the saucepan and let it stand for another 5 to 10 minutes. Once the water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and add salt or spices to your liking and health needs.
