Problem cooking Barley?

[Changeling]

I really like having Barley in my soup when I buy Progresso are Cambells canned soup. So I decided to add it to my own home made soup.

However when I do instead of becoming those great barley cournels you see in your commercial soups, mine turns into a "SLUDGE" at the bottom of the pot!

Using Fresh Quaker Oats brand.

What in the heck am I doing wrong?

I cook my vegetable beef soup low & slow for about 3 hours and it's really fantstic, except for the barley.

[JWFilips]

I would add the barley ( Rinsed) 1 to 1.5 hour before finished You are over cooking it. I'm not familiar with the Quaker oats brand Check to make sure it hasn't been quick processed first.... In that case it may only need 1/2 hour in the soup

[gwpercle]

If they are the Quaker brand and it says quick , or quick cooking, they only require 10 mins. of cooking. I am thinking 3 hours just cooks them too much and they fall apart. Follow the cooking time on the package and it should be better. I think the quick cooking are partially cooked then dried and processed so that 10 min. is all that's needed...not quite instant but almost.
Gary

[C. Latch]

I think you have to size each kernel in a special Redding die before cooking to get them to not mush up like that.

[Norbrat]

In soup, you should be using Pearl Barley, not rolled oats.

Oats is oats, and barley is barley. :mrgreen:

[dragonrider]

Norbrat he is probably using this
http://www.quakeroats.com/products/more-products-from-quaker/content/specialty-items/medium-barley.aspx

[reloader28]

I cooked up about 11lbs of barley yesterday.
Then I added some yeast and I will be drinking the "soup" (I call it beer) in about 3 weeks.:drinks:

[**oneshot**]

I use pearl barley. Take about 1.5 to 2 hours to get tender in a simmering soup. When adding barley, A little goes a long way. Too much and you can eat your soup with a fork.

[onceabull]

We buy our Pearl Barley in 1 Lb.Cello Packages from the Beans/Lentils/Rice section of grocery stores hearabouts...Never had t cook to mush,so I figure SWMBO has the drill figured..We use a LOT of it in scratch made soups and stews....

[MT Gianni]

I make a breakfast with whole wheat, pearl barley, coconut and raisins. I fill a small plastic thermos with boiling water for 60 sec to preheat, then add 1/2 cup of the mix and fill with 2 cups of boiling water. It can sit all night in a cold tent and be ready to eat in the morning. Pearl barley stands up well to long cook times.

[JWFilips]

We buy our Pearl Barley in 1 Lb.Cello Packages from the Beans/Lentils/Rice section of grocery stores hearabouts...Never had t cook to mush,so I figure SWMBO has the drill figured..We use a LOT of it in scratch made soups and stews....

Yes that is what we use also. Pearl barley is what you want
An ox tail or some beef marrow bones in the stock make for some hearty eating soup!

[Changeling]

I think you have to size each kernel in a special Redding die before cooking to get them to not mush up like that.

Sheesh!!! Now you tell me, I just knew that Lyman die had something to do with it, LOLAL.

Norbrat, I didn't have the box, just checked, must have used them all up. However you may be right I think. They were in flakes like oatmeal and I don't remember anything about them being/saying "Pearl", it did say oats though. So I guess in this case it wasn"t the product it was a lack of knowledge on my part and that darn Lyman die!!

After reading the whole post (like I should have done) I think what I want is NOT a quick type of cooking barley. Is there a preferred Brand?



Next time to the grocery store I'll get some "Pearl Barley" is this correct? It probably wouldn't hurt to follow the directions also.
I just thought at the time those flakes would swell up into barley and cooking time wasn't an issue since Progresso and Campbells cook there soups in BIG pressure type cookers.
Thanks very much Norbrat for solving 99.9% of my problem.

[Norbrat]

You gotta remember oats and barley are two different grains.

Oats for human consumption is almost always sold as flaked, either whole or slightly chopped for quicker cooking. Makes great porridge, but no good in soup.

Barley can also be bought flaked, which seems to be most used in beer brewing, but for soup, Pearl Barley is what you want.

[MaryB]

I always add to much barley, end up with more of a stew than a soup. Healthy eating though.

[Shiloh]

It will also continue to swell up in the soup. put it in near the end.

Shiloh

[Zymurgy50]

Barley intended for brewing is almost always "malted", allowed to sprout under controlled conditions. This starts to change some of the starches into sugars, and develops enzymes that aid this process. "Flaked" or rolled grains are precooked and processed between rollers to flatten the grains, looking more like oatmeal or cornflakes than grain.

[loveruger]

First time I used Barley it didn't look like I had enough so I added more mistake , came out in a brick .

[Changeling]

Well, I have been to 2 local grocery stores and couldn't find it, so I am going to order some from "Bobs Red MIll".

Why they don't carry it is anyones guess. All I can find is Quaker brand, quick oats in 1,000 different flavors, or the stuff I got that was called pearl barley, but like oatmeal.
My thanks to all for the Barley education, I really appreciate it. Without your help I would probably have bought several more box's of the wrong stuff.

[MaryB]

Pearl Barley is what you want... comes in fast cooking and regular.

[gbrown]

I make beef/vegetable soup and use the Pearl Barley that others are referring to here. A little more cooking time. I usually cook mine seperate and then add it to the soup. Really nothing like it on a cold, blustery night. I also have used it with a little butter and raw honey for a breakfast food. This is the food of the Roman Legions. Barley, especially sprouted barley, was a large part of their diet in the earlier years. Later years, it was wheat. The Roman Legions had guys retiring at 55 and living 20-30 years more in the provinces. They ate healthy, barley had a role. Just saying.

[Changeling]

I make beef/vegetable soup and use the Pearl Barley that others are referring to here. A little more cooking time. I usually cook mine seperate and then add it to the soup. Really nothing like it on a cold, blustery night. I also have used it with a little butter and raw honey for a breakfast food. This is the food of the Roman Legions. Barley, especially sprouted barley, was a large part of their diet in the earlier years. Later years, it was wheat. The Roman Legions had guys retiring at 55 and living 20-30 years more in the provinces. They ate healthy, barley had a role. Just saying.

Hi gbrown, I just found out some of those things in searching about it, you're absolutely right! I actually didn't know the health aspect of it when I started this post, I just liked it a lot. Amazing stuff!


I talked to the manager of my local Food Lion grocery store and she is having some Pearl Barley ordered in and stocked on the shelves. This will be great because I won't have to pay those rediculious delivery charges from Bobs Red mill and have to order so much, Problem Solved.

[gbrown]

Hi gbrown, I just found out some of those things in searching about it, you're absolutely right! I actually didn't know the health aspect of it when I started this post, I just liked it a lot. Amazing stuff!


I talked to the manager of my local Food Lion grocery store and she is having some Pearl Barley ordered in and stocked on the shelves. This will be great because I won't have to pay those rediculious delivery charges from Bobs Red mill and have to order so much, Problem Solved.

Glad to hear. I don't eat that much of it, keep the dried stuff I'm not using in an old plastic coffee can in the freezer. I'm the only one that eats it around here. Another way I like it is in the morning, just like oatmeal. Little milk and butter along with some honey and it is good to go.

[JWFilips]

Always figure 1 cup of Pearl Barley to 2 cups of liquid ( that will dry the 2 cups of liquid up in 1 hour cooking time in your soup remember to have more in your stock other wise it will be stew or worst paste!.
I make a lot of Indian and Thai curries & I will use Barley for the starch in the meal but doing that I'm running a fine line of how thick I can get it and still serve it the next day::::: this cooking C***p is a hard as mixing a good alloy : it takes patience and experience & it sounds like you are on a good start!
Jim

[Pinsnscrews]

You can also try some of the "Organic/Farmer Market" type stores such as Sprouts/WholeFoods/Henry's Market. They often have it in the Serve yourself Bulk Bins much cheaper than what is pre-packaged at the store. I needed to buy some in a pinch recently and about threw the idea out when I saw what they want for a 1lb bag...I had run out of the bulk and didn't know it.

I base it on how much meat I am adding, 1/4 cup of Pearl Barley per pound of meat.

[MaryB]

In a soup I use about a cup of barley to 8 cups liquid. That makes for a fairly thick soup.

[Changeling]

Thanks guys, now all I ned is the pearl Barley.