Ella Walter
Pot barley is a whole food that has not been processed or refined, giving it a nutty flavour and chewy texture. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in soups, salads, stews, and even as a breakfast cereal. When cooking pot barley for soup, it is important to note that it requires a longer cook time than pearl barley. The first step is to rinse the barley and let it sit in a strainer while you prepare the other ingredients. This makes it easier to digest. In a large soup pot, cook your aromatics such as onions, garlic, and spices in olive oil over medium-high heat until fragrant. Then, add your pot barley, vegetables, broth, and water, and let it pre-cook for 15-20 minutes. Finally, add any remaining ingredients and simmer until the barley is cooked, which should be around 40-50 minutes.
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What You'll Learn
Rinse the barley before cooking
Rinsing the barley before cooking is an important step in preparing barley soup. This step ensures that any dirt or debris that may be present on the barley is removed, improving the hygiene of your dish. Rinsing also helps to get rid of any excess starch on the surface of the barley grains, which can make your soup cloudy or thick if not removed.
To rinse the barley, simply place it in a fine-mesh strainer and run it under cold water for a few seconds. Use your hands to gently agitate the barley, ensuring that all the grains are thoroughly rinsed. Allow the water to run clear, indicating that the barley is clean and ready for cooking.
Rinsing the barley also helps to reduce its stickiness. If you forget to rinse it before cooking, you may end up with a stickier consistency than desired. This step is especially important if you are using pot barley, as it has a higher fibre content and can be more sticky compared to pearl barley.
By taking the time to rinse the barley before cooking, you not only improve the hygiene and appearance of your soup but also help to achieve the desired consistency. This simple step can elevate the overall quality of your dish, ensuring a more pleasant dining experience.
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Sauté vegetables and spices first
To start your soup, heat some olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add your choice of vegetables and spices—a typical combination includes onion, carrot, celery, swede, mushrooms, and garlic, along with thyme, coriander, fennel, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. You can also add chilli flakes, cayenne, and Old Bay seasoning for a spicier soup. Cook this mixture for around 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are softened and the spices are fragrant.
If you're making a beef barley soup, you can cook the beef with the onions, browning it if you're using ground beef, and drain any fat before adding the other vegetables and spices.
Once your vegetables and spices are softened and fragrant, you can add the pearl barley and liquid. If you're using pot barley, it will need to be pre-cooked for 15-20 minutes before adding the other ingredients.
For a vegetarian or vegan soup, add vegetable stock or broth to the pot and bring to a boil. You can also add diced tomatoes with their juices at this stage. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for around 30-40 minutes, or until the barley is cooked and tender. The soup may thicken as it cools, so you can add extra broth or water to adjust the consistency.
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Simmer for 35-50 minutes
Once you've added your pearl barley and vegetable stock, bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave it for 35-50 minutes. The barley should be tender but still have a nice chew to it. If the barley still has a hard centre, it needs to be cooked for a little longer.
While your barley is simmering, you can prepare the rest of your ingredients. Peel and dice a russet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. You can also chop up some fresh dill to add to your soup when it's done cooking. If you don't have any fresh dill, you can substitute it with parsley or thyme.
After your barley has been simmering for 30 minutes, add the diced potatoes and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Once the potatoes are cooked, add your frozen green beans, corn, and peas. Stir everything together and heat through, which should take about another 5 minutes.
Finally, add some lemon juice to taste and stir to combine. Adjust the salt and pepper according to your preference, and serve hot with fresh chopped parsley on top.
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Add garlic at the end
Garlic is a key ingredient in pot barley soup, adding tons of flavour to the dish. However, it is best to add garlic at the end of the cooking process. This is because garlic is antimicrobial, antiviral and antibacterial, but loses these beneficial properties when cooked. Adding garlic at the end of cooking helps to maintain its flavour and beneficial properties.
To make a pot barley soup, start by rinsing the barley in a colander with cold tap water. Leave it to drain for several minutes. Next, heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat and add your vegetables. Typically, this includes onion, carrot, celery, swede, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Then, add your herbs and spices, such as thyme, bay leaves, coriander, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
After sautéing your vegetables and herbs, it's time to add the barley and liquid. Pour in your vegetable stock or broth and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer. For pearl barley, simmer for around 35 minutes until the barley is cooked but still has a nice chew to it. For pot barley, the cooking time will be longer, around 60-70 minutes.
Finally, add the garlic to the soup at the very end of cooking. This will ensure that your soup gets the full benefit of garlic's antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, as well as its delicious flavour.
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Use vegetable broth
To make a delicious pot barley soup with vegetable broth, you can use either store-bought or homemade vegetable broth. If you want to make your own, simply sauté your choice of vegetables and herbs/spices in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes. For a traditional flavour, add root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, along with alliums like onions and garlic. You can also include celery, swede, mushrooms, thyme, coriander, fennel, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Next, add your rinsed pot barley and vegetable broth. You can also add water and a bay leaf. Stir and cover the pot for 15-20 minutes, checking to ensure it doesn't boil over. Pre-cooking the barley before adding vegetables ensures a consistent texture and tenderness.
Once the barley is par-cooked, add your chopped vegetables and spices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. For a one-pot meal, you can also add potatoes, carrots, red pepper chilli flakes, black pepper, cayenne, and Old Bay at this stage.
After the vegetables are cooked, reduce the heat to low and add cabbage, dill, and garlic. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. You can garnish with fresh dill and serve with sourdough bread for a hearty winter meal.
Leftover barley soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When reheating, you may need to add extra broth or water, as barley absorbs liquid while it sits in the soup.
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