The highly nutritious and fiber-rich barley is a processed cereal. Texturally it is tender & chewy with a nutty fragrance. If you are looking for how to cook barley tender and fluffy on google, I think you are in the right place.

How To Cook Barley

1. How To Cook Barley on Stove

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 3 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Step 1: First, put the barley in a mesh sieve and wash thoroughly with running tap water.

Step 2: Transfer the rinsed barley to a large pot, add 3 cups of water, and season with salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a soft boil.

Step 3: Adjust heat to low and cook pearled barley for 25-30 minutes. At every 7 minutes interval, stir it.

Step 4: Check if the barley has tripled in size and turned soft.

Step 5: Turn off the stove, drain the excess liquid, and leave the cooked barley in the pot covered for 10-15 minutes. Finally, fluff it using a fork and enjoy!

2. How To Cook Barley in Rice Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 2 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
  • 1 fork

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the barley in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water then drain

Step 2: Add the rinsed barley and 2 cups of water to the rice cooker.

Step 3: Stir well, then close the lid and turn on the rice cooker. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Once the barley is cooked, let your barley rest for an additional 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Serve immediately

3. How To Cook Barley in Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
  • 1 fork

Instructions

Step 1: First, rinse the barley using cold water. This will help to remove any dirt or debris from the grain.

Step 2: Next, add the rinsed barley and water to the Instant Pot. The ratio of water to barley when cooking in the Instant Pot is 1:1 1/2, this means for every cup of barley will use 1 1/2 cups of water.

Step 3: Seal the Instant Pot and set it to “Manual” for 25 minutes at high pressure. Make sure that the valve is set to “sealing” before starting the cooking process.

Step 4: Let the pressure release naturally: Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.

Step 5: Finally, fluff the cooked barley with a fork and serve as desired. You can add some butter or salt for extra flavor if desired.

Now, you know how to cook barley in 3 different ways. You can use cooked barley in stews, beef barley soup, & salads. It also serves as a healthy side dish in place of rice. Note barley contains gluten. If you are allergic to gluten, you should not eat this grain.

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Julia Jane is a home cook inspired by her mother's cooking. With the desire to share my cooking experiences with everyone, she created this website

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