For the most part, modern housewives are interested in how to cook pearl barley in water only if they decide to prepare pickle sauce. This cereal is somehow not particularly popular, despite its proven benefits, unusual texture and nutritional value. This is largely due to unpleasant memories from school or kindergarten. But if you do everything correctly, it will turn out not only healthy, but also tasty.
Once you learn how to handle the component, you will want to see it not only in soup, but also use it as a side dish and serve it as an independent dish. The secrets to success are very simple: do not give up soaking, follow the recommended proportions and clearly understand how much to cook barley depending on the approach used.
How to properly cook pearl barley in water?
To prepare crumbly and dense cereals, which can be used as part of a pickle or as a base for a side dish, you need to use one of the following recipes:
- Long soak approach. Take 1 liter of water per glass of product. We thoroughly wash the cereal, changing the liquid several times until it remains clear. Fill the component with cold water and leave for at least 6 hours, and preferably overnight. After this, we rinse the composition again, fill it with a liter of fresh water and put it on fire. After boiling, drain the liquid, rinse the barley again and add fresh boiling water. How long to cook pearl barley that has undergone this treatment? No more than 30 minutes. You can either let it steep a little or add it to the soup 5 minutes before turning it off.
- Short soaking approach. To get a crumbly mass and not have to wait so long, you can use a slightly different approach. We sort the grains, wash them, soak them for 4 hours and wash them again. We fill the workpiece with water, but now we take not 1 liter of liquid per glass of pearl barley, but 1.5 liters. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook covered over low heat for 50 minutes. Then we wrap the container with a towel and place it in a warm place for another 40 minutes. After this, salt the finished product, season it with butter if desired, and use it for its intended purpose.
Tip: To prepare soup, it is better to choose classic cereals, which, even after heat treatment, will retain the required density. But for porridges, the Dutch variety of the product is more suitable. It is soft and boils faster.
- Option without soaking. For 1 glass of cereal we take 1.5 liters of water. We sort the product, rinse it, and add it to boiling water. Boil the barley for 2-3 minutes over high heat, drain the liquid and pour cold water instead. After the mixture boils, the heat should be reduced to low. This mixture will take a long time to cook - about 1.5 hours.
Using the above methods, you can both cook pearl barley as a side dish and prepare the component for subsequent use in various dishes. The only thing is that before serving the dish, it is recommended to let the mixture sit for a little while in order to achieve the most pleasant texture.
The best way to boil pearl barley in milk
Traditional pearl barley porridge is usually boiled exclusively in milk. The classic version of preparing the dish is as follows:
- We take 1 cup of cereal, 1 liter of yogurt for soaking it, 2 liters of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter and a little sugar. It is highly not recommended to violate the proportions. Even minor shifts in one direction or the other can ruin the final product.
- We wash the cereal, soak it in yogurt overnight, and then rinse the composition again.
- Heat the milk and sugar on the stove, add the prepared cereal to the liquid and boil over low heat under the lid for 10 minutes.
- To make it truly delicious, the preparation must be infused in a water bath for 4 hours. Don't waste your time, the results will be worth it.
- The finished product will be properly seasoned with butter and left for half an hour, covered, in a warm place.
Of course, it is almost impossible to obtain crumbly pearl barley in this way, but in a creamy gravy its delicate texture will no longer matter so much. In any case, it will turn out very tasty and satisfying.
Alternative methods for preparing cereals
Those who are interested in options for how to quickly cook pearl barley should consider the following approaches:
- In the oven. Take a glass of pearl barley, 3 glasses of water, salt, oil, herbs. Pre-soak the cereal for several hours, then rinse and place in pots. Pour boiling water over the mixture, which should cover the product by 2 cm. There is no need to use lids! Place the containers in a not yet preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes at a temperature of 220ºC. Add salt, pepper, oil, and herbs to the ready-made crumbly porridge.
- In a slow cooker. Take 1 glass of pearl barley and 3 glasses of water, additional ingredients at your discretion. Wash the cereal and soak for a couple of hours. It’s not entirely correct to use boiling water for this, but as a last resort, you can try this option (hold for about 10 minutes). Place the workpiece in the multicooker bowl, fill it with water, add salt, butter and cook in the “Buckwheat” mode.
- In the microwave. With this approach, it turns out quite tasty and time-saving. Take a glass of pearl barley, 1.5 glasses of water, butter and salt. We wash the soaked component, put it in a cooking dish, fill it with water and boil over high heat for 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a heat-resistant bowl, season with salt, and cover with a lid. Microwave at maximum power for 5 minutes. Then we reduce the power and prepare the composition for another half hour. We evaluate the degree of readiness of the product and, if necessary, put it in the microwave for another 5 minutes. Season the finished pearl barley with oil.
It is equally convenient to cook pearl barley in a rice cooker. Depending on the pre-soaking time, the process will take from 1 to 2 hours. The easiest way to prepare the product is in a regular thermos. Simply rinse the glass of the component, transfer the mixture into a thermos and fill it with boiling water. It is enough to keep the workpiece for 4 hours so that it reaches the desired state. Season the ready-made crumbly porridge with salt, butter, and, if desired, decorate with herbs. But it is not recommended to overcook the mixture; over time, its original taste will only deteriorate.
We often refuse pearl barley, and the reasons for refusal can be different: misconception about its calorie content, lack of knowledge about its incredible benefits, too long a cooking process... And this is wrong! There is no way to exclude army porridge, as people are accustomed to calling it.
Few housewives can boast of having a container of barley in their kitchen. And if he is present, then, as a rule, he is waiting in the wings to end up in a pickle. While many tasty dishes, and most importantly, healthy ones, can be prepared from this product.
In fact, properly prepared cereal has only 120 calories per 100 grams, while it has a whole range of vitamins, amino acids, protein and essential plant
fat
But you can cook pearl barley in different ways, and, contrary to the misconceptions of many people, there are quite a lot of ways to quickly prepare it.
It is important to maintain certain proportions. To obtain a crumbly mass, a ratio of 1 cup of grains per 1.5 liters of liquid is required. For a more viscous substance – 1 to 1000 ml. Before cooking barley grains, they must be soaked.
There are two types of soaking.
- Long-term soaking is characterized by primary processing before. Rinse the cereal thoroughly in cold water until the liquid becomes completely clear. Leave for 6-7 hours or overnight. After this, we rinse the barley again, fill it with water and put it on the stove. After boiling, drain the water and add boiling water. After this treatment, the cereal should be cooked very carefully; after 20 minutes, constantly remove one grain at a time and test for doneness.
- A short soaking helps us get crumbly pearl barley porridge. By analogy with the previous method, wash the cereal, then leave for 4 hours. After this soaking, you need to cook for 50 minutes.
Is it possible, and most importantly, how to cook pearl barley without soaking? We thoroughly wash the grains - this will remove all small particles and flour that contribute to the formation of mucus after cooking the cereal. After washing, fill a glass of cereal with 1.5 liters of water and cook the cereal for 2-3 minutes. Drain the water and add fresh water in the same ratio. Wait for it to boil and then cook over low heat for 50-60 minutes. Ready.
Cooking methods
- On the water. We will not dwell on this method, because... We examined it above in the processes of soaking cereals. The only thing you still need to know about this method is that if you want crumbly cereal, you need more water, if it’s viscous, you need a liter of water for one glass of pearl barley. It is also necessary to take into account that if the cereal has been stored for a long time, soaking is indispensable, and it must be washed thoroughly. It is this method that also talks about how to cook pearl barley for fishing. Our product is actively used when fishing for crucian carp.
- With milk. Fill the pre-washed and soaked cereal with water and boil for 10-15 minutes. Drain the water and pour 4 cups of milk per cup of pearl barley into the pan. And cook until done. Add butter. Delicious porridge with milk is ready.
- To Redmond. Before cooking, we use the long-term soaking method. Drain the water and place the mixture in. Add water and oil again - the liquid should cover by 1.5-2 cm. We set the device to “stewing” or “cooking” mode and cook for a little less than one hour.
- In the oven. By analogy with all previous methods, we prepare cereals for cooking. Place in pots and fill with water in the same way as in the previous method. Place in an unheated oven and cook for 40 minutes at maximum temperature. There is no need to cover the pots with a lid. Add salt, butter and other ingredients to the prepared porridge.
- IN . Boil the pre-soaked product on the stove for 3 minutes in two liters of water. Then we put it in a heat-resistant container in the microwave. Cook for 5 minutes at maximum temperature, then reduce the power by one or two notches and cook for 30 minutes. This is one of the fastest ways to cook pearl barley in water quickly.
- In a steamer. Perhaps the ideal way to prepare delicious crumbly porridge while preserving all the beneficial components of this product. The only negative is that steaming will take quite a long time, on average an hour and a half. Place the long-soaked cereal into a container for steaming. And set the timer for 40 minutes. You need 2.5 liters of water per 1 cup of pearl barley. After the time has passed, add salt and add 1 glass of water or milk and leave for another 40-50 minutes. Let's try.
- How to cook pearl barley in bags? Pearl barley is now sold in bags in stores - it is much more expensive, but it takes 20 minutes to prepare such grain. This cereal has already been pre-processed, but this does not mean that it has lost its beneficial properties. Barley belongs to the category of products that, as a result of heat and other treatments, lose excess calories, releasing other useful compounds, such as fiber. The following instructions are always written on the boxes: put a bag in a saucepan with water or milk, cook for 20 minutes on maximum heat, when ready, put the contents of the bag on a plate, add butter.
Barley is a dietary product and therefore is perfect for breakfast in the form of regular porridge with butter, and will also serve as a side dish for almost any dish.
Let's look at the most popular recipes and, using their analogy, try to understand which methods of cooking pearl barley are best suited in certain cases.
One of the most popular soups in Russian cuisine, along with cabbage soup and borscht, is prepared according to the following recipe.
It is necessary to cook pearl barley for pickle until half cooked, or after a long soaking. Place 300 grams of beef in a 3-liter saucepan, add water, salt and cook for an hour. We take out the beef and cut it into cubes. Place cereals into the broth, chopped potatoes - 250 g. Fry carrots and onions.
Then cut 100 g of pickled or pickled cucumbers into small shavings and simmer them in beef broth for several minutes. Mix with carrots and onions. Add beef, onions, carrots and cucumbers to the broth with barley and potatoes. Add one glass of brine.
After boiling, let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes, add salt and spices. Let it brew for a while and sprinkle generously with herbs. The soup is ready, you can add sour cream and eat.
Of course, you need to cook some other kind of barley soup, for which you have enough imagination and ingredients, by analogy with this recipe.
Delicious pilaf is not only made from rice. It turns out that this dish can also be prepared from pearl barley. We will need:
First of all, boil the bacon (you can stew it). Fry finely chopped onions and carrots, add pieces of bacon. After frying the bacon a little, spread the tomato paste previously made from tomatoes. Salt, pepper and pour in the broth remaining after cooking the bacon.
The following methods are suitable for preparing pearl barley: in water, in a slow cooker and in a double boiler. Place the prepared cereal in a saucepan or cauldron. Close the lid and, similar to standard pilaf, let the water boil away. Add butter. You can eat.
How to cook pearl barley as a side dish?
It is in this form that it goes well with many main courses and is much healthier, as we have already mentioned, than pasta or rice. In fact, all of the above methods are suitable here, except perhaps “with milk”.
If you are a complete beginner cook and are still at your best with kitchen utensils, then you can watch a video on how to cook cereal with milk or make pearl barley porridge with stewed meat. There are plenty of such videos on the global network.
Pearl barley contains a lot of useful substances that are difficult to find among other grains. Pearl barley is made from barley grain. Porridge is not so popular in our cuisine. Not all housewives know how to cook pearl barley in water, what dishes it can be added to, and what nuances exist for preparing crumbly, aromatic pearl barley porridge.
For six servings of a side dish, it is enough to take the following quantities of food:
- pearl barley - 1 cup;
- oil drain - 1 table. l.;
- salt - ¾ tsp;
- water - 3 cups.
During the production and packaging of cereals, particles of dust and small debris often fall along with the grains. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is rinse the pearl barley through a sieve under running water.
Bring the barley to a boil, uncovered, and cook for about five minutes. Then turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and continue cooking for 45-50 minutes.
During cooking, all the water should be absorbed. Now you can put a piece of butter, let it melt a little and stir. Leave for half an hour, serve with chopped herbs.
On a note. The side dish perfectly complements meat and fish dishes, goes well with vegetables and various types of cheese. Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the taste of porridge in combination with honey, jam, and condensed milk.
Approximate proportions
The proportions of porridge and water depend on what kind of side dish you want to get in the end:
- crumbly pearl barley: measure 1 part porridge to 2.5 parts water;
- For thick, boiled, sticky porridge, use 1 part porridge to 4 parts water.
On a note. Soaked cereal cooks faster and is softer than raw cereal that has only been washed under water.
How long does it take to cook?
To the question “How long to cook pearl barley?” It is impossible to answer unequivocally. It all depends on several factors: the method of preparation, the time of pre-soaking or without soaking. The time frame for cooking pearl barley porridge is from 40 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes.
Pearl barley as a side dish in a slow cooker
Delicious pearl barley as a side dish is made in a slow cooker. The kitchen assistant will make the porridge crumbly, soft, and aromatic.
We offer a recipe for a very tasty side dish of pearl barley:
- pearl barley - 2 cups;
- onion - 1 unit;
- chicken broth - half a liter;
- vegetable oil - a couple of table. spoon;
- hard cheese - 50 g;
- salt, pepper - ½ tsp each;
- fresh dill - 50 gr.
Use pre-soaked pearl barley.
Next, pearl barley is prepared in a slow cooker as follows:
- Chop the onion and fry in oil heated in a multicooker on the “Baking” program for 8 minutes.
- Then add the pearl barley, stirring, cook for about seven minutes, add broth, salt and pepper. Close the lid and set the cooking time to a quarter of an hour.
- In the meantime, prepare the remaining ingredients: three cheeses, finely chop the herbs.
- When the timer notifies you that cooking is complete, add cheese to the side dish, stir, select the “Warming” program and time 50 minutes. When finished, add the greens, mix and leave for another 10 minutes.
The consistency of the side dish is viscous, and the taste is very delicate. It complements various meat and fish dishes well.
Classic rassolnik with pearl barley on water
- filtered water - 2-2.5 l;
- medium potatoes - 4-5 units;
- pickles - 2 units;
- carrots and onions - 1 unit each;
- brine - ½ cup;
- pearl barley - ½ cup;
- bay leaf - 1 leaf;
- allspice - 4 peas.
First, rinse the pearl barley under running water. Boil water and pour it over the cereal for forty minutes. Then bring it to a boil.
For now, let's prepare the vegetables: peel, rinse, divide the potatoes into cubes, grate the carrots, and chop the onion. First, fry the onion until lightly yellow, and then add the carrots and simmer for about ten minutes. If the vegetables’ own juice is not enough, pour in a couple of tablespoons of water, perhaps from barley. Add potatoes to cereal and cook for 15 minutes.
Place the roast in the pickle pan. Cut the cucumber into circles and send it there. Cook for another five minutes. Leave to brew under the lid for a quarter of an hour, without heat.
On a note. Cucumbers are added to the pickle last, as their characteristic sourness may interfere with the preparation of other products. You can add fried mushrooms for a richer dish.
How to steam cereal in a thermos?
Steaming pearl barley using a thermos significantly speeds up its preparation. The method of soaking in a thermos is perfect when the side dish needs to be prepared quickly. To do this, pour 1 ½ liters of boiling water into a glass of cereal and leave for half an hour. Afterwards, the pearl barley can be prepared in any way you like.
Barley for fishing
Pearl barley is an excellent bait for catching various fish.
How to cook pearl barley for fishing for crucian carp, carp, bream and other fish:
- water - 1 ½ l;
- sugar and salt - 5 g each;
- pearl barley and millet - one glass;
- vegetable oil - table. spoon.
First of all, set the barley to cook. From the moment it boils, it should cook for a third of an hour. Afterwards you can add millet, salt and sweeten. Make the fire low and cover with a lid. Continue cooking for another 40 minutes, then add oil, stir and set aside for the bait to cool.
Pearl barley also makes excellent bait:
- water - 1 l.;
- pearl barley - a glass;
- semolina - table. l.;
- honey - 1 tsp.
Boil the cereal for half an hour over low heat, then reduce the temperature at the end. Place the finished porridge on a dish, sprinkle with semolina, add honey. Mix well, compact into a thick layer, and cool.
Pearl barley porridge - previously peeled and then boiled barley grains in a small amount of water. Despite the value of cereals for the body, there are very few lovers of this dish. The thing is that everyone is used to seeing pearl barley in the form of a sticky solid mass. This misconception about it was formed due to incorrect cooking technology. How to cook pearl barley so that it is tasty and does not lose its qualities?
Information about how beneficial pearl barley porridge is for human health suggests the idea of including it in the diet. However, before preparing pearl barley, you need to carefully read the rules, otherwise your expectations and efforts will be in vain.
- The pearl barley must be thoroughly rinsed with plenty of cold water. Then the prepared cereal is poured with water and left to swell. For 100 g of cereal you need 1 liter of water;
- After 10-12 hours, the remaining water is drained. The barley is washed again, 250 g of water is poured into the pan and placed on low heat. Cooking time - 30..60 minutes;
- The pan with pearl barley porridge is wrapped in a blanket and left to simmer for half an hour.
If you don’t have time to soak, you can prepare delicious pearl barley porridge as follows:
The pearl barley is poured with boiling water and left to swell for 1 hour. In order to speed up the process, the cereal can be cooked for 5-10 minutes. The prepared cereal is washed, poured into a pan and water is added. For 100 g of cereal you need to add 300 ml of water. The porridge should be cooked over low heat for at least 60 minutes. In order for it to cook, after removing it from the stove, wrap it up for 30 minutes.
You can prepare soft, crumbly pearl barley using the oven. After the pan has been in the oven for an hour, turn off the appliance and leave the porridge to cook.
Barley is one of the leaders in the content of macro and microelements: phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iodine, manganese, selenium, copper and many other essential substances. Thanks to an impressive list of elements, the kernels have many beneficial and healing properties.
- the main feature of the composition of barley is the presence of the amino acid lysine: the substance significantly improves the condition of the skin and prevents its aging, normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, strengthens the immune system;
- due to the presence of folic and nicotinic acid, as well as vitamins D, E, PP, B, A, pearl barley improves the condition of the skin, hair, nail plates, it also helps improve vision and restore the nervous system;
- phosphorus improves the functioning of brain cells, improves the functioning of the endocrine system;
- the porridge contains gerdovin, which has bactericidal properties;
- pearl barley, rich in fiber, normalizes the functioning of the digestive tract and also gently removes toxins;
- despite the fact that grains contain more than 70% carbohydrates, pearl barley porridge is often included in the diet of people who adhere to proper nutrition and those who are trying to lose weight;
- Regular consumption of boiled barley grains can improve the functioning of the kidneys and liver, and the substances in its content improve the condition of teeth, help cure a runny nose and cough;
- promotes the removal of excess fluid and expectoration of sputum.
In 100 g of pearl barley porridge cooked in water without adding additional ingredients - 109 kcal.
Many people do not know that pearl barley porridge is suitable for cooking in a microwave or slow cooker, since without soaking the cereal takes a very long time to cook. For those who want to taste a healthy dish, but do not have enough free time to wait 12 hours, the following innovative technology is suitable.
You can quickly cook pearl barley using a slow cooker. For those who are faced with preparing cereals in a modern appliance, all the steps are described in detail below.
- The cereal must be washed well, filled with water and left to swell for 1 hour;
- The water is drained and the cereal is poured into the multicooker bowl. For 100 g of cereal you need to add 200 ml of water;
- Depending on the model of the device, choose one of the following modes: Porridge, Buckwheat, Milk porridge. Cooking time 20 minutes.
- If there is water left at the bottom of the bowl after the end of time, you need to turn on the “Toasting” mode for a few minutes.
- The fastest way to prepare is pearl barley, which is sold in packages that have a pre-processing mark on them.
The taste of porridge depends in equal parts on the preparation technology and the quality of the products used. After deciding to try a dish, you need to select high-quality products for preparation. To ensure that the kernels not only cook quickly, but are also filled with flavor, salt, butter, nuts, honey, and dried fruits are added to the pan.
The ingredients should be added in the prescribed order:
- The porridge is salted immediately after it boils, and then the heat is reduced to low;
- As soon as a small amount of water remains in the pan, add ½ of the amount of butter indicated in the selected recipe. The barley is thoroughly mixed, covered with a lid and left to cook until all the liquid has evaporated;
- At the end of cooking, add the second half of the oil and the rest of the ingredients to taste.
It is recommended to serve the porridge soon after it is prepared. Depending on the recipe used to prepare the barley, it can be sweet or salty. In the first case, the dish is supplemented with slices of sweet fruit, in the second, porridge is served as a side dish for meat or fish. Cooks use pearl barley to prepare pilaf and pickle.
The main nuance in cooking barley grains is its ability to harden after cooking over high heat. This porridge has an unattractive appearance and a too dense structure of the nucleoli due to the folding of vegetable protein.
- To make the porridge crumbly and cook faster, the grains are soaked in water for 10-12 hours;
- You can achieve the desired consistency by following exactly the ratio of cereal and water in the selected recipe;
- Beans that have been soaked overnight are boiled for no more than 45-60 minutes;
- After removing the pan from the stove, move it to a warm place for half an hour or wrap it in a blanket. Such manipulations are necessary to ensure that the barley grains become as soft as possible;
- To season porridge, it is preferable to use butter, which will fill the grains with an unobtrusive taste and aroma.
Many people disparage pearl barley, calling it “shrapnel” or “kirzukha”. But in fact, the name pearl barley comes from the word “pearl” - that is, pearl. Take a closer look; pearl barley looks like small pearls. But it’s not a shame to serve properly prepared pearl barley porridge even to guests. This recipe for pearl barley porridge will teach housewives how to deliciously prepare crumbly (with a minimum of mucus) pearl barley porridge in water, which is good as a side dish with meat, mushrooms, fish and even just vegetables.
Ingredients:
Pearl barley -350 gr;
Salt – 1 tsp;
Butter (I use homemade) – 80 gr.
How to cook pearl barley porridge in water
To prepare delicious pearl barley porridge, I usually try to choose the most beautiful cereal in the store, which has fewer spoiled grains and litter. Even if the pearl barley you have chosen looks clean and beautiful, we still pour it onto a cutting board or table and sort through it.
Then pour the sorted barley grains into a saucepan, fill with cold water and let the grains swell for two hours.
After the required time, the croup increases in size, which can be seen even in the photo below.
Drain the water from the pearl barley and rinse it several times with running water.
Then, fill the cereal again with water so that the pearl barley is covered by two fingers and put it on the fire to boil.
As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and simmer the cereal over medium heat for five minutes. After this, place the pearl barley in a colander and drain the water. The cereals need to be thoroughly rinsed again under the tap, and the pan must be cleaned of pearl mucus.
After this, we send our pearl barley for repeated “water procedures”. We repeat everything as described above.
At the next stage, we will finally finish cooking the pearl barley. To do this, pour 0.7 liters of cereal. water, salt and bring to a boil.
We do it on low heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook the barley until cooked for 30-40 minutes.
If you cook pearl barley porridge in water, strictly following my recipe, look what a beautiful and tasty porridge you get - real pearls.
Add butter to the prepared pearl barley porridge, mix and serve with meat or whatever you like.
In my family, in addition to barley, I sometimes serve fresh pork cracklings.