Real Food Encyclopedia | Barley

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an ancient grain, but its old school reputation doesn’t keep it off the modern table. We use it in a variety of ways: as food for livestock and fish, as a main ingredient in beer, as a sweetener and as a cereal grain for human consumption. Some cultures serve roasted barley steeped in water as a tea.

Barley is among the very first crops to be cultivated. Archaeological digs have revealed that barley was domesticated 10,000 years ago, in the Fertile Crescent. Its wild close relative, H. spontaneum, can still be found still in this region. Historians believe that barley and its ancient cousins einkorn and emmer were probably the first domesticated crops, and the catalyst for the birth of civilization. In ancient civilizations including Egypt, Greece and Rome, barley was a staple crop. And up until roughly the 16th century, barley was the most important grain of Western Europe.

How did such an important food to the development of human civilization get reduced to being rarely eaten in the United States? What can it be used for, aside from stirring into wintry soups with beef a couple times of year? Find out tips and more traditional uses for this versatile grain.

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What to look for when buying barley

The type of barley most commonly grown for human food production has been bred to grow without hulls, or “naked,” and has been eaten for millennia. Pearlized barley, which is most readily found in groceries, takes this one step further by removing the bran from each barley grain. Barley groats, however, are the hull-less grains with their bran intact. Bran from barley is often milled into flour and used on its own for its fiber-rich nutrient content. However, most of today’s bran flakes cereal uses wheat brain rather than barley.

Sustainability of barley

In addition to growing barley for food, barley is widely used for erosion control. Winter barley roots grow deep into soil, protecting it from wind and rain that can contribute to erosion. This is one reason why barley is often used as a cold-weather cover crop. It also releases nitrogen into the soil.

Barley is known to help reduce weeds in soil by outcompeting and shading them. Because it prefers dry, arid climates and cannot withstand heavy moisture in the soil, barley is a relatively low water-intensive crop to grow, requiring 171 gallons of water per pound.

Pesticides

There are a number of chemical pesticides found on commercially-grown barley today. But it’s not difficult to find organic pearlized barley or barley groats from groceries or small farms to limit your exposure to these pesticides when cooking with the grains. Studies have also shown that the process of making beer removes many of these chemicals from the eventual product.

Geography

Barley is found in the traditional diets of northern parts of the world, such as Western Europe, Russia, northern China and Korea.

Seasonality

Barley is a hardy crop that prefers cool, dry regions. Most types are not impenetrable to frost, however, so it’s typically sown in spring and harvested in fall in these climates. In warmer climates, it can be planted through winter. Barley is an annual plant that has traditionally been grown in cooler climates where it’s grown over the summer.

Barley that’s planted in the fall, or winter barley, has been developed to withstand colder temperatures. It makes up about one quarter of the barley grown in the U.S. Barley has a relatively short growing season among grains, making it convenient as an annual winter cover crop. Once harvested and processed (such as by malting or pearlizing), barley is shelf-stable and can be eaten throughout the year. 

Eating barley

Cooking

Barley is extremely versatile in the kitchen. Cooked, the grains can be used as a substitute in dishes that call for white rice. Barley’s more pronounced flavor and texture can add interest to a risotto preparation or in a warm pilaf with vegetables and herbs.

Barley is often used in soups and stews, like the traditional Persian barley-chicken soup called jo. You can also try it instead of orzo or pastini in your minestrone; its chewy firmness makes it a fun substitute for pasta.

Once barley is malted, its most common preparation is, of course, beer. You can use malt syrups as a natural sweetener in place of refined sugar — the round, toasty flavor will add depth to any dessert. Malt powder is also a distinctive sweetener — as in malt shakes and malted milk candies — though it can be more difficult to find.

Nutrition and health

Barley is an excellent source of fiber and protein when eaten as a whole grain, and has a lower glycemic index than processed grains like refined flours. Barley is an excellent source of fiber and nutrients like selenium and niacin, and one cup of cooked pearled barley contains more than 3.5 grams of protein. Along with other whole grains, barley has been studied for its association with heart health.

Top photo by Soru Epotok/Adobe Stock.