How to Choose Pearled Barley for Cooking?

Barley is a cereal grass similar to wheat. Hulled Barley and Pearled barley are the two basic types of barley used in cooking. It’s important to know the differences between these two types before you cook with them.

Differences in Barley

Hulled Barley has been processed or tumbled just enough to remove the outer hull. The Pearled variety has undergone a process that strips away almost all of its outer layer. This process makes the barley less tough and enables it to be cooked in a shorter amount of time than Hulled Barley. The pearling process removes the bran from the barley. Visually, Hulled Barley has light brown coloring and doesn’t have the shine that results from the longer pearling process.

Cooking Barley

Hulled Barley needs to be cooked for about an hour to reach the tender stage. When cooking pearl barley, that time can be reduced by half. Both types of barley have a chewy texture and a nutty flavor. You can use these two types of barley interchangeably in recipes as long as you make adjustments in the cooking time to assure the barley cooks long enough to be tender.

When cooking with barley, you should follow the 3 to 1 ratio. That simply means you should use 3 cups of water to 1 cup of barley. Hulled Barley should be soaked overnight before using. It is a good ingredient choice for soups or grain bowls. Refined barley (pearled) doesn’t require soaking. Its soft texture makes it a good ingredient choice for creamy dishes such as risotto.

Barley and a Health-Conscious Lifestyle

Refined barley contains gluten and would not fit into the diet of someone with gluten intolerance. However, for those that do not require gluten-free foods, it can be a part of a health-conscious diet plan. When incorporated into meals, it can help lower cholesterol levels. It also helps control blood sugar. Adding this to your diet is a good way to get beneficial fiber. This type of barley also provides nutrients such as iron, folate, magnesium phosphorus, potassium, zinc and some of the B-vitamins.