How to cook pearl barley correctly

Pearl barley is a healthy cereal that is often served as a side dish to traditional Slavic dishes. It is healthy, contains many vitamins and microelements, besides, it quickly satiates and has almost no contraindications for use. To prepare delicious crumbly porridge, you need to choose the right ratio of water and cereal.

How to cook crumbly pearl barley in water

Barley can be cooked without pre-soaking, but you must first boil it in boiling water and then cook until the side dish is perfected. The porridge becomes crumbly if you let the liquid evaporate completely.

1. 
   How to properly cook pearl barley in a saucepan on water? Sort the pearl barley, removing any foreign debris from it and rinse thoroughly, changing the water several times.
2. 
   Pour 3 cups of boiling water into a pan of suitable volume and add pearl barley, cook for 5 minutes over high heat, and then drain the water.
3. 
   Pour the cereal again with a new portion of boiling water - this time in the amount of 2 glasses.
4. 
   Add salt and butter to the pan and stir.
5. 
   Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, so that all the liquid is absorbed into the cereal and the pearl barley grains increase in size.

How to cook pearl barley as a side dish without soaking

Crumbly barley can be served as an independent dish if you add fried vegetables or mushrooms to it, or as a side dish that goes well with pork, beef or lamb dishes.

Cooking time: 1 hour.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 4.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 1.5 l
• Salt - to taste.
• Seasonings - to taste.
• Dried greens - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. You need to remove debris from the cereal, rinse it thoroughly in running water and let the liquid drain.

2. Boil water in a saucepan, add the cereal and boil it over high heat for a couple of minutes, then drain the water.

3. Pour boiling water over the cereal again and put on low heat, cook for about 1.5 hours.

4. At the end of cooking, add salt, taking into account what the porridge will be served with, as well as your favorite spices and herbs. Mix everything well.

5. Serve pearl barley as a side dish for meat or mushroom dishes. Barley goes well with frying, which can be done with the addition of carrots, onions, garlic or celery root.

Pearl barley porridge in a pan with pre-soaking

If you cook barley with preliminary soaking, the cooking process will be shorter, but the taste will not change. To give the cereal more taste and appetizing, you can add various spices or seasonings to it, in particular, turmeric, which gives the porridge a pleasant golden hue and is also very healthy.

Cooking time: 6 hours. 35 min.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 4.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 1 l.
• Salt - to taste.
• Turmeric - to taste.
• Boiled carrots - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. The sorted grains should be rinsed well until the water becomes clear. In a deep bowl, pour cold filtered water over the pearl barley and leave to soak for at least 6 hours.

2. After the specified time, drain the water in which the cereal was soaked, rinse again and pour into the pan, adding water at the rate of 1 tbsp. cereals per 1 liter of water.

3. Bring the pearl barley to a boil, remove from heat and drain the liquid.

4. Pour fresh water again and cook for about half an hour over low heat.

5. Turn off, add salt and turmeric, stir, leave covered for 5 minutes and then serve. You can add boiled carrots and garnish with chopped dill.

How to cook pearl barley in a slow cooker

Barley turns out very tasty if you cook it in a slow cooker. You can select any suitable mode available in the device - “Porridge”, “Buckwheat” or “Rice” and cook according to the duration, taking into account whether the cereal was soaked in advance.

Cooking time: 4 hours. 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 4.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 1 l.
• Salt - to taste.
• Dried herbs (dill, parsley, celery) - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. The cereal is sorted to remove foreign debris from it. Then you need to rinse it until the water becomes completely clear.

2. To soak, pour the required amount of pearl barley into the bowl of the device and fill it with cold filtered water. Leave for several hours. The lid may not be closed.

3.Afterwards, drain the water, rinse the grains again and fill with fresh water.

4. Add the desired amount of salt, other spices or seasonings, as well as dried herbs to the cereal, mix and close the lid.

5. Turn on the multicooker to any mode for preparing porridge and cook for about an hour. Stir and serve hot. Bon appetit!

A simple and tasty way to cook pearl barley in a pressure cooker

A pressure cooker makes the process of cooking pearl barley faster, preserves the nutritional properties of the porridge and frees up time and energy for other dishes. If you fill the cereal with broth rather than water, the taste of the porridge will be unsurpassed.

Cooking time: 5 hours. 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 2.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 0.5 tbsp.
• Water – 3 tbsp.
• Salt - to taste.
• Dried greens - to taste.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.
• Butter - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. The cereal is washed and soaked in cold water for up to 12 hours, and then the liquid is drained and the pearl barley is allowed to drain.

2. Place pearl barley grains into the pressure cooker, add water and seal the container. The pressure cooker valve should hiss and seal the pan.

3. Turn on the pressure cooker or put it on fire for 20 minutes.

4. When the specified time has elapsed, turn off the pressure cooker or remove it from the heat and leave to steam for another 40 minutes. For electronic pressure cookers, use the “Warm” setting, while a stovetop pressure cooker is simply left closed.

5. When the porridge is ready, you need to salt it and add spices, and then serve it with butter or mushroom sauce.

How to easily cook pearl barley in the microwave

A delicious side dish of pearl barley can also be prepared in the microwave: the process does not take much time and is very simple.The dish will be more flavorful if you add fried onions and bacon or freshly chopped herbs.

Cooking time: 45 min.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 4.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 0.5 tbsp.
• Water – 3 tbsp.
• Salt - to taste.
• Fresh greens - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Sort the grains and rinse until the water becomes clear.

2. Place the barley in a microwave-safe bowl and fill with hot water.

3. Place in the oven, start the timer for 20 minutes, and cook at full power.

4. Check the cereal for readiness, add more boiling water, stir and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.

5. Add the required amount of salt, cover with a lid and leave for another 10 minutes to infuse. Then add fresh herbs and serve.

Delicious pearl barley porridge with stew in a saucepan

Barley with stew is to a certain extent a camp recipe, but it can also be prepared at home to get a nutritious and appetizing dish for lunch. Frying onions and carrots will make the taste of the porridge even brighter and more attractive.

Cooking time: 3 hours 45 minutes.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 4.

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 300 gr.
• Canned stewed beef – 300 gr.
• Onions – 1 pc.
• Carrots – 2 pcs.
• Salt - to taste.
• Khmeli-suneli seasoning – to taste

Cooking process:

1. Soak the washed cereal in boiled water for several hours.

2. Transfer the pearl barley to a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes.

3. Chop the peeled onions and carrots: cut the onion into cubes, grate the carrots.

4. In a high frying pan, cook onions and carrots using the fat from the stew.

5. Add meat to fry and stir. Then add the strained cereal there.Add salt, seasoning and mix well. Leave to steep under the lid for 10-15 minutes and then serve. Enjoy!

Hearty and aromatic pearl barley porridge with meat

Pearl barley can be used not only as a side dish, but also to prepare a complete dish like pilaf. Barley with pork is good to serve for lunch or dinner: the whole family will like the dish, and even a less experienced cook can prepare it.

Cooking time: 3 hours 45 minutes.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Servings – 6.

Ingredients:

• Pork (fillet) – 600 gr.
• Pearl barley – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 3 tbsp.
• Carrots – 2 pcs.
• Onions – 2 pcs.
• Celery (root) – 70 gr.
• Vegetable oil – 5 tbsp.
• Salt - to taste.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.
• Bay leaf – 2 pcs.
• Allspice peas – 2 pcs.
• Parsley - ½ bunch.

Cooking process:

1. Pour the washed pearl barley with cold filtered water and leave for several hours to swell, and then drain the water.

2. Pour the cereal into a heat-resistant bowl, pour in water, bring to a boil and keep on low heat for about an hour, stirring the contents of the pan several times during this time.

3. Chop the peeled carrots and onions as for frying, grate the celery or cut into small cubes. Fry everything in a deep frying pan until the vegetables brown.

4. Rinse the meat, dry it with paper towels and cut into small pieces. Fry until a delicious crust appears.

5. Mix the meat with the roast, season with salt, add spices and cook for about 6 minutes. Then add hot water and simmer on low heat for half an hour.

6. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add pearl barley to the meat and vegetables and mix well. Cook covered, add salt if necessary.Serve the dish hot with herbs.