Recipes

[Catch71]

I make a vegetable soup with ground turkey and I add 1/4 cup pearl barley for the last half hour.  I honestly didn't know there was any other kind of barley. I add it right into the soup; no precooking necessary as it cooks in the broth of the soup.

[Toppers3]

---

@Jordan2 wrote:

I know someone will be able to advise me. I have a recipe for Mushroom Barley Soup. I bought barley in a bag, I'm thinking I may have bought the wrong one, maybe I should have gone with pearl barley. The recipe I have only says barley, also it doesn't say to cook it before hand, you add it with the stock. Do you think I should buy the pearl barley, also is it okay to cook the barley in the soup?

---

Still Raining is correct in her post, as there are different types of barley.

Pearled barley cooks up faster, and it will be noted on the packaging whether or not you have pearled barley.

If you have hulled barley, it will need twice the amount of cooking time as pearled barley.

You can cook the barley in with your stock, but then you need to account for the additional cooking time, and then you also need to have enough liquid for the barley to cook. 

Of course, you can cook it separately first and then add it to your soup if you feel more comfortable doing it that way. 

I bet that it will taste great no matter how you do it. I personally would definitely use what you bought, though. It just needs more cooking time. 

[sunshine45]

i never precook my barley nor do i soak it.

it really doesnt take THAT long to cook.

i always make sure i have extra stock or broth on hand in case i becomes too thick. i make a lot of turkey barley soup after thanksgiving. i make turkey broth/stock from the bones. i remove all of the small pieces of turkey to use in the soup. turkey stock, turkey, barley, carrots, onions, potato, parsley.....add a spoonful or two of sour cream at the end. it freezes well also so i make a HUGE pot.....we eat some, freeze some, and give some away.

i use either sadaf barley or quaker medium barley.

[Jordan2]

I know you are all holding your breath, did her soup turn out okay?! I made the soup this morning using the barley I bought ( I was in a different supermarket today, they had barley that said Pearl on the package mine did not), it came out fine. If I make the soup again I will buy Pearl Barley.

[novamc1]

I keep some  Quaker barley in the pantry and occasionally use it as a simple thickener to absorb excess liquid if my beef stew/soup concoction or other dish seems too thin.

I assume it's adding some nutrition as well as texture to the meal.  Never like to use cornstarch or flour as thickeners.