Barley is a nutty and earthy grain having a chewy texture. It is packed with nutrients, but high in fibre content. Barley can improve your health if you have it on a regular basis. It can lower your cholesterol along with providing a number of health benefits. It’s easy to cook barley. You can cook it either on a stovetop or instant pot.
You don’t need to worry about how long to cook barley. We have added a whole recipe point to cook barley easily along with some cooking tips.
Table of Contents
How Long to Cook Barley on Stove?
If you are cooking hulled barley, you have to soak it first. Take a large bowl and put 1 cup of hulled barley along with 3 cups of water. Leave it for a few hours or overnight. This process helps to thaw barley grains when cooking. You can skip this step for pearl barley.
Now, take a saucepan and boil 3 cups of water. Season according to what you like add in your barley. If you don’t know what to add just add a pinch of kosher salt. Covered the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 45-60 mins. or until all the liquid is absorbed and barley becomes tender and slightly chewy.
How Long to Cook Pearl Barley?
When it comes to cooking peal barley. You don’t need to do much. The process is as same as the hulled barley. You just have to take a similar amount of water to the barley grains and cook for about 25-30 mins. or until barley grains are tender and chewy in texture. You can use a colander to drain excess water and garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
How Long to Cook Barley in Instant Pot?
Cooking barley in an instant pot is another way of cooking. You just have to add 1 cup of barley, 3 cups of water, olive oil, and salt to your instant pot. Stir them well and close the lid and make sure the vent is sealed. Set the pressure manually to high for 20 mins. When time is up, quick release the pressure by using a wooden spoon to change the vent from sealing to venting.
Once the float valve is depressed, you are able to open the lid safely. Open the lid and fluff the barley with a fork.
Tips to Cook Barley:
- Soaking barley overnight helps speed up the cooking time.
- It’s better to rinse well barley grain to remove excess starch.
- You can also cook barley with vegetable broth rather than water to make it more flavorful.
- Drain the excess water and rest for 15 mins. in the same utensil, covered so that it absorbs any remaining liquid.
FAQ:
What does barley taste like?
Barley is rich in fibre and has a mild, nutty taste with a chewy texture. It is often used in soups, stews, and casseroles.
Is barley healthier than rice?
Barley and rice both have the same nutrient profile. But barley is rich in fibre nutrient. If you want to add more fibre in your diet, it's better to choose barley.
How to store cooked barley?
Barley can be stored in airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. If you are freezing cooked barley, don't refreeze once defrosted.
Do we need to soak barley before cooking?
Pearl parley does not to be soaked before cooking because it cooks quickly. Soaking process is beneficial for hulled barley.
