Barley: What Is It And Is It Good For You?

Although we’ve all probably heard of barley, whether because of the classic beef barley soup or another staple dish, it’s a grain that doesn’t get enough attention and ought to be used more often. It’s an incredibly versatile grain that’s packed with important nutrients.

In this post, I’m going to give you an overview of barley, its nutritional value, basic preparation methods, and other key information you can use to incorporate this delicious grain into your diet!

Barley Overview

Barley is a cereal grain and a member of the grass family with the scientific name Hordeum vulgare. Before it’s harvested, barley grows in tall, golden stalks, with the grains at the top. For the most part, barley is grown worldwide in temperate climates. It is the fourth most produced crop globally after rice, wheat, and maize.

Barley is an extremely versatile grain and is used as the base for soups and stews, in bread, and as a side to delicious, savory meals like my skillet Salisbury steak. Some people even eat barley flakes with added sweetener for breakfast. Barley is also fermented to make alcoholic beverages and pastes and is used as fodder for livestock.

What Does Barley Taste Like?

Barley has a rich, nutty flavor and a thicker, more chewy texture than most other grains. Somewhat comparable to the texture of al dente pasta, barley makes a great, healthy substitute for dishes containing other grains like brown rice or quinoa, like my Instant Pot butternut squash risotto.

Is Barley Good for You?

Is barley good for you? This short answer is yes!

As I mentioned, whole-grain barley is slightly healthier than pearled barley. Several studies have made health claims that eating whole grains rather than refined grains can reduce your risk for certain diseases such as cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart disease. 

That being said, both types of barley are incredibly nutritious because they are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help fuel your body so that it can function better. Specifically, barley contains dietary fiber, magnesium, manganese, and selenium. It’s also rich in nutrients such as phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B6. Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs for a multitude of reasons, including helping our bodies fight infection.

Barley also has a relatively low glycemic index, which means it releases glucose slowly and evenly, making it a great choice for people who need help lowering and regulating their blood sugar levels. In fact, barley has one of the lowest glycemic indexes of all grains. 

It may even be effective in lowering high cholesterol, as it contains beta-glucans that can lower “bad” cholesterol.

If you need yet another reason to incorporate barley into your diet, its high soluble fiber content means that it improves gut function by helping move food through your system. This makes it a good choice for anyone trying to lose weight or fight obesity.

How to Cook Barley

There are two main types of barley: hulled barley and pearled barley. Given that they are processed slightly differently, they are also prepared differently. However, for both hulled and pearled barley, it’s a good idea to rinse your grains before you prepare them, although this step is not required. 

Hulled Barley

1. Bring three cups of water and one cup of rinsed barley to a boil in a pot. To draw out the grain’s flavor, add a pinch of salt to the water. 
2. Once the water and barley are boiling, reduce the heat to low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot.
3. You’ll want to stir occasionally, but for the most part, you can just let your barley cook for about 40 minutes. As with all grains, you can decide when the barley has reached your desired texture, but as a rule, you know your barley is done when it’s almost tripled in size and is soft. 
4. Once your barley reaches the desired texture, take the pot off the stove and drain any additional water. Fluff the barley with a fork to loosen it, then enjoy.

Because hulled barley is less processed, it will absorb less water during cooking. If you’re not satisfied with the texture of your hulled barley after 40 minutes, continue simmering for up to 90 minutes, adding more water to the pot as needed.

Pearled Barley

The process for cooking pearled barley begins in the same way as that of hulled barley. Again, you’ll want to bring your pearl barley to a boil with about three cups of liquid, either water or broth. 

Once simmering and covered, let the pearled barley cook for about 25 minutes, then check it to see if it’s cooked through. Given that pearled barley is softer than hulled barley, it will have a creamy, risotto-like consistency when done.

Just as with hulled barley, once your pearled barley has softened nicely, take the pot off the stove. Keep in mind that pearl barley releases a lot of starch into the water when cooking. For that reason, the barley water can be used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews, so don’t drain it right away if you want to use it in your dish.

Uses for Barley

Barley, in its whole or refined form, can be used as a side dish or a pilaf. It can be added to soups and stews, like this Persian pomegranate and walnut stew, Fesenjan, to make them thicker and more filling. Barley also comes in flakes, which can be used like rolled oats or grits.

You can also find barley flour as a substitute for plain or whole-wheat flour.

Additionally, barley is a key ingredient in several different pastes and beverages. I’m going to take a look at two of the most popular of those: miso and whiskey.

Miso

If you’ve ever had a delicious salad dressing with a salty, umami flavor you just couldn’t quite place, chances are you were tasting miso! Miso is a fermented Japanese paste made from a cultured mix of soybeans, salt, koji, and grains such as barley. You’ll find miso in my shrimp and avocado salad with miso dressing (a reader favorite!) and this miso coconut butternut squash soup.

Whiskey

Barley is also used to make several alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey. In order to make whiskey from barley, the grain goes through the process of malting, mashing, fermentation, and distillation.

Conclusion

Barley is a cereal grain with a rich, nutty flavor. Although hulled barley is more nutritious than pearled barley, both varieties are healthy, good sources of fiber, selenium, and other vitamins and minerals. 

Given its thicker grain, barley takes longer to cook than most other grains and can be used as a substitute for pasta and risotto. Once it’s finished, barley has a soft, fluffy texture. Additionally, barley is one of the main ingredients in pastes and beverages like Japanese miso and whiskey.

As one of the ancient grains, barley has been eaten by humans for about 10,000 years. So next time you’re craving a meal that our ancestors also would have enjoyed, grab your barley and get cooking!