Too much barley

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Kevin86

Senior Cook
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
399
Location
Ontario
Hey everybody

I was cooking and made ‘double’ what I needed. So what do you do with boiled ready barley?

Our grandparents live alone 3 of them so I’ve done a bit of home cooking and sending them a portion.
So today I made a cabbage roll lasagna kinda dish. I made barley instead of rice and layered it in with cabbage as the noodles in little 4” loaf tinfoil tins. I made a beef ragu sauce with veggies in it to mix with the barley then added cottage cheese. Mix match of a 3 in 1 kinda dish.

Then I made a big pot of beef veggie (barley soup).

So maybe I made a bit more than double lol what to do with the rest?

Thanks
 
It will freeze very well. I have done that. I made extra one day, froze it then a couple of weeks later had some broth, grabbed a baggie of cooked barely and... instant barley soup! Didn't have to wait for it to cook... win, win.

and thanks for reminding me, I just might made some for the freezer now! :LOL:
 
What kind of barley are we talking about, hulled barley, pearl barley, rolled barley, barley groats?

1. If it;s pearled barley, seasoning it with chicken soup base, add onions ans diced mushrooms, cook until mushrooms and onions are softened, serve as a side dis, Season with sage and pepper.
2. Pearl barley can also be added to wild rice with other ingredients to make a great side dish, or wild rice/barley stuffing.
3. mic with ground beef, marinara sauce, and bread crums to make a great filling for cabbage rolls, stuffed poblanos, or stuffed grape leaves. Simply season accordingly.
4. Mix with your favorite cheese sauce (made with freshly grated cheese).
5. Add to yor favorite Ragu, or Bolognaise for a richer texture.

Barley Groats
1. Same as pearl barley, but still has the hull and so takes more time to cook. Use in the above ideas.
2. Porridge with Maple Syrup, or honey, adding fresh fruit as desired.
3. Savory Porridge with shrimp, scallops, and crab, seasoned with lemon and Old Bay
4. Add to ground lamb, ground pork, onion, and seasonings to make meatballs.

Hulled Barley - use as you would pearled barley, or barley grats.

Rolled Barley
1. use as you would rolled oats.
2. Use in no-bake cookies.
3. Use in oatmeal cookies.
4.Use in multi-grain brads.
5. Use in homemade protein bars
6. use in homemade granola
7. Use in homemade trail mix.

Can you tell I like barley? It's more nutritious, and versatile tan are oats. And of course once sprouted, then roasted and ground, it becomes one of my favorite flavors - malt.

That should give you some ideas. Hope some of them work for you.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Barley has always been a favorite grain of mine. Barley and mushrooms have always been a favorite combination of mine. I often use it instead of rice, in many dishes, and I've occasionally made a dish similar to fried rice, with pre-cooked barley. Barley is one of the best grains for diabetics to use, with a lower glycemic index, and much lower glycemic load than other grains. Mom was a diabetic, and some of my friends are, so I learned as much as I could about it, and would cook what I could for them.

Pearled barley absorbs about 2½ c water/cup, and hulled barley about 3 c water/cup.

Years ago I found rolled barley in the Amish market, and started making various oatmeal cookies with it, in place of the oatmeal, and they were instant hits! I would make the same recipe with each, to compare, and I wouldn't even tell them what they were comparing - just that they were different - and the barley was the favorite with almost everyone. It wasn't as noticeable in the more highly flavored cookies, like CC oatmeal (or barley) snickerdoodles, but in the crispy slice and bake type, with no flour, it was most noticeable, and delicious.
 
I cook about 4 or 5 grains at a time, separately, to keep in the freezer. A 2 cup measure of any cooked grain is easy to add to salads, or casseroles, or soup/stews.


Except for the steel cut oats which I like at a 1:3.5 grain/water ratio, I cook my grains (including rice) as though I am cooking pasta. Lots of water and drain it once it is done.


Some take longer some are done sooner. White wheat, red wheat, barley (right now I have pearled), rye, brown rice, wild rice and any new grains I try. Brown lentils and mung beans cook much quicker. I haven't mastered sorghum or millet. They are done when they are chewy and soft to my liking. They are all done before an hour is up, and if I cook them at the same time, it's only an hour in the kitchen paying attention and they are packaged for the freezer.



I thaw them in microwave safe 2 cup measures, 3-5 minutes at 50% power.
 
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