Cooking with Barley 101

Introduction

Barley is the 2nd grain in this whole grain series which started with amaranth.

Barley is considered one of the ancient grains and it is mentioned over 30 times in the Bible.

Origins of Barley

Barley is part of the grass family and is believed to have originated in the Fertile Crescent over 6,000 years ago.

Barley grows in a wide range of soils and climates and as a result, it went on to be cultivated in many parts of the world.

Barley was often considered a poor person’s food.

Barley was the foundational diet of ancient Greek and Roman athletes as well as Roman soldiers.

In fact, the ancient historian Plinius referred to gladiators as “barley eaters“. 

Types of Barley

The types of barley available for human consumption are pearl barley, hulled barley, unhulled barley and hull-less barley. 

Pearl Barley

Pearl barley has had its outer hull and the bran layer stripped completely.

Consequently pearl barley is not considered a whole grain although it is higher in fiber than other refined grains because the type of fiber it contains, beta-glucan is in the starchy part of the grain (the endosperm) as well as in the bran layer.

Hulled Barley

Hulled barley on the other hand, is processed in such a way that the hull is removed but a large portion of the bran outer layer remains. 

Hulled barley is typically considered a whole grain.

Unhulled barley

There are two types of unhulled barley – two row and six row. 

Two row barley is usually used for craft brewing while six row barley is more commonly used in mass produced beers. 

Hull-less barley

Hull-less barley is another variety of barley, whose hull comes off easily and therefore does not need to be mechanically stripped away.

Hull-less barley is considered a whole grain because its bran layer remains intact.

Barley with its hull intact is used for sprouting the grain as well as malting or growing into barley grass.

Nutritional Benefits of Barley

Barley’s nutritional profile is similar to that of wheat and it does contain gluten.

While barley is high in protein, it is not considered a complete protein because, like other grains, it is low in the amino acid lysine.

Sprouting barley is believe to increase the lysine content somewhat.

Barley is rich in B vitamins and in important minerals including iron, magnesium,  phosphorus,  potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. 

While this may sound good to beer lovers, it is important to note that the alcohol in beer flushes the B vitamins and other nutrients from our bodies.

Barley is rich in antioxidants including vitamin E, beta-carotene and lutein.

Barley contains a type of fiber called beta-glucan which improves cholesterol levels, blood sugar balance and also provides a sense of extended fullness.

Storing Barley

Whole grain barley has a shorter shelf life than whole grain wheat – 3 years is about the time to be expected, under optimal storage conditions.

If you want to stock barley in your pantry, it will be best to include it as part of your regular meal rotations to insure freshness.

For a discussion on storing whole grains, please see this post.

Culinary Uses of Barley

Nowadays, in the Western diet, this underappreciated grain is mainly used in beer making and for animal fodder.

A small portion of cultivated barley is used for human food consumption and in making non-alcoholic beverages.

Hopefully this post will make you aware of the many healthy ways you can incorporate barley in your diet.

Below is list of common ways in which whole grain barley is transformed and prepared for food and (non-alcoholic) consumption.

Toasted Barley

Toast barley on a skillet at medium low heat for about 10 minutes until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty fragrance, stirring frequently.

Toasted barley is typically used either as a tea or boiled as detailed in sections below.

Popped/Puffed Barley

Barley does not pop quite as much as popcorn does but when popped, it will develop a pleasant flavor similar to popcorn.

It can be used to add crunch to porridges, in salads, or over desserts.

1. Use a pot with high sides.
2. Preheat pot on medium high heat until droplets of water sizzle on contact.
3. Pour grains only one layer deep and cover.
4. All grains should start popping quickly on contact with pan.
5. Shake pan every few seconds to minimize burning.
6. Remove from heat within less than 2 minutes for best results.

Sprouted Barley

If you intend to consume the whole barley grain, use hull-less barley for sprouting.

Sprouted barley can be added to salads and smoothies. (Note: For food safety reasons, it is often recommended to parboil any sprouted grain a few minutes prior to consuming.)

If you intend to sprout and then malt the barley, using unhulled barley typically gives the best results.

A variety of sprouters can be used.

A mason jar with sprouting lid or cheesecloth with rubber band is a simple method for beginners as is detailed further in this link.

1. Soak barley in water overnight.
2. Drain off water and keep mason jar at 45 degree angle to prevent any water from stagnating.
3. Rinse twice a day for three to five days.
4. Sprouting will be complete when tail is the same length as barley grain.

Malted Barley

1. Sprout barley as directed in sprouted barley section to obtain what is called green malt.
2. Dehydrate green malt in oven or dehydrator at temperature range of 90°F to 120°F.
3. Heat the malt in oven from one to five hours at 180°F to produce a pale malt. (see this link for more extensive instructions)

Malted Barley Syrup

Malted Barley Syrup is a highly nutritious whole grain sweetener.

Malted Barley Syrup is an essential ingredient in beer making where it is know as wort.

Note: Recipe below is based on research I have gleaned in books and online and I have not yet fully tested it out.

1. Crush one part malted barley and mix with two and a half part (by weight) water.
2. Heat at 150°F for an hour and a half to activate enzymes that transform the starch into sugars.
3. Filter out crushed malt and refrigerate to prevent fermentation.

Barley Grass

Both unhulled and hull-less varieties can be used for growing barley grass, also referred to as barley microgreens.

Unhulled barley is the most commonly used.

Barley grass can be juiced or added to smoothies.

Barley grass contains chlorophyll and is high in vitamin C and vitamin K.

1. Soak barley overnight (about eight hours).
2. Drain off water and keep mason jar at 45 degree angle to prevent any water from stagnating.
3. Rinse twice a day until you see appearance of tiny roots.
4. Transfer grain to surface of prepared moist growing medium (i.e. potting soil) with good drainage.
5. Loosely cover grains with opaque bowl to contain moisture and keep dark.
6. Water lightly each day.
7. After grass has reached two inches, remove opaque bowl and place in well lit location.
8. Harvest when grass is around 8 inches using scissors to cut about a half inch above the surface.
9. Barley grass can continue to be watered and regrown for a second harvest though it will have less nutritional value than first harvest.
10. Compost used growing medium with matted barley roots.

Boiled Barley

Boiled barley can be used as a rice substitute or to bulk up smoothies.

Boiled barley will typically stay chewy even when fully cooked.

Hulled (or hull-less) barley can be toasted or soaked in water overnight prior to boiling.

Toasting or overnight soaking will reduce boiling time by about 10 minutes.

The standard ratio for cooking barley is 3 parts water to 1 part barley.

If barley has been soaked overnight, water ratio can be reduced to 2 parts water to 1 part barley to account for water absorbed during soaking.

Boiling Barley over Stove Top

1. Combine barley and water in ratio detailed above in appropriate sized pot.
2. Bring water to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.
3. If barley has been soaked or pre-toasted, start testing for doneness after 35 minutes, otherwise check after 45 minutes.
4. Barley should be tender while retaining some chewiness.

Pressure Cooking Barley in Instant Pot

When I first tried cooking hulled barley in my Instant Pot (6 Quart Duo) at high pressure, it was a rather messy experience as the starchy water clogged the release valve.

What I have found is cooking between 1/2 cup and 1 1/2 cups of hulled barley at most works better for my size of Instant Pot.

1. Place 3 parts water (2 parts if barley is pre-soaked) to 1 part barley in Instant Pot.
2. Set pressure to high, 20 minutes (15 minutes if pre-soaked).
3. Allow at least 20 minutes of natural release.

Barley Porridge/Risotto

Barley releases a lot of starch in cooking and makes wonderful thick porridges and risottos.

To cook hulled barley as a breakfast porridge or savory risotto alternative, it is easiest to start with already boiled barley as instructed in boiled barley section.

1. Add 1 part liquid (i.e. plant based milk or vegetable broth) to 2 parts cooked barley.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes so that grain breaks down further.
3. Stir frequently to help grain release more starch.

Barley Rejuvelac

Barley can be sprouted and then soaked in water to make rejuvelac.

An in depth recipe for making rejuvelac can be found here.

Barley Water

Barley water is a common beverage in many parts of the world.

Barley water can be consumed hot or cold and various flavorings can be added.

Barley water is also sometimes used to feed babies.

Barley water is an old remedy used to feed people who are recovering from illness.

Traditionally, it was cooked for several hours to release the starch and then strained.

1. Use 8 parts water to 1 part hulled barley.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for up to 3 hours.
3. Strain out barley and serve barley water (hot or cold) plain or with a flavoring such as lemon and a healthy sweetener of your choice.

Barley Horchata

Horchata is a traditional Mexican beverage.

Barley horchata differs from barley water because the cooked barley is blended in whereas in barley water, the cooked barley has been strained out.

1. Use 8 parts water to 1 part hulled barley.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
3. Allow mixture to cool off then place in blender.
4. Flavor with citrus juice and sweetener of your choice.

Toasted Barley Tea

Barley tea is another common beverage in many parts of the world.

It has a mild, pleasant nutty flavor.

1. Place two tablespoons of toasted barley in a tea infuser.
2. Bring a cup of water to a boil and infuse toasted barley for 15 minutes.

Roasted Barley Coffee Substitute

Barley can be used as a caffeine free, nourishing coffee substitute.

1. Roast barley (typically hulled) in the oven at 400°F (lower bottom rack) for an hour and 10 minutes until it turns dark brown/black.
2. The roasted barley should be allowed to mellow out for a week.
3. Grind the roasted barley with a coffee grinder and then proceed to use in the same way as ground coffee beans.

Barley Flour

Both hulled and hull-less barley can be ground into whole barley flour.

For a discussion on options to grind grains, please see this post.

Barley contains a certain type of gluten (hordein) that is different from wheat gluten (glutenin and gliadin).

Due to the difference in gluten type, barley bread does not rise like wheat bread.

When making bread it is best to use barley flour in a similar manner to recipes calling for rye flour.

Since barley flour will not rise like wheat flour, substitute at most 30% of wheat flour with barley flour in yeasted bread recipes.

Barley flour can be used in place of whole wheat pastry flour in flatbread, cookie and cake recipes.

It is possible to use barley flour in pasta making but a minimum of 20% (or more) durum/Kamut flour (semolina) needs to be added in order for the pasta to hold its shape as discussed in this video on barley pasta making.

Where to Buy Barley

Barley grain and flour can sometimes be found in your local health food store.

If you are interested in purchasing larger quantities, online bulk sources may be more cost effective.

This post includes a PDF download with over 25 online sources of barley.

Conclusion

Barley is an amazingly versatile grain which is often more affordable than other ancient grains such as einkorn or emmer.

While some of the culinary uses can be more time consuming than average, they could make great projects for kids to try out.

I, for one, look forward to making myself some barley tea more often.

If you are looking to vary the whole grains you consume, you may want to consider including barley in the mix.

I hope this post will inspire you to give barley a try.

This post is part of the whole grain series kicked off this year.

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