Comments on: Beyond the BabySteps: Grains: Let’s Talk About Barley!

By: Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy

Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:32:41 +0000

I store my legumes in a variety of containers. I have a 5 gallon bucket of pinto beans, then large rectangular tupperware containers for legumes I store less of such as split peas, kidney beans, etc. I keep my most common ones up in my kitchen pantry and the others down in the basement. I haven't used any sort of oxygen absorber but my bucket has an airtight seal. We will be researching methods of storing foods and do some future posts about it so make sure to check back.

By: davidjenkins

davidjenkins — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:09:34 +0000

I am trying to find out what would be the best way to store legumes? would it be in pouches with oxegen tablets. trying to get my year supply together just dont know how long things will last! any help?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:02:00 +0000

I read on providentliving.org that pearled barley is not suitable for longer-term storage. Is hulled barley better for longer-term storage? What is the best way to pack it? Does it need an oxygen absorber?

By: Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy

Jodi - Food Storage Made Easy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:01:01 +0000

Thanks for the tip. We were just giving examples of where you could purchase some. We always encourage people to do their own research to find the best prices in their area.

By: Everything Prepared

Everything Prepared — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:48:36 +0000

You can actually get barley for much less than what is advertised on Amazon's site ($10.95/10 lbs). It is out there for $11.95/25 lbs.

By: foodstorage

foodstorage — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:30:46 +0000

Thanks for the recipe link! We are always looking for good recipes that use barley since we aren't that familiar with it yet.

By: The Prudent Homemaker

The Prudent Homemaker — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:34:02 +0000

You can get pearled barley in #10 cans from Walton Feed. We have done this before and I have been very happy with the quality. I use it to make barley soup; you can see the recipe here: http://theprudenthomemaker.com/barleysoup.aspx

It has a really good flavor. This is one of my husband's favorite soups.

By: Polly

Polly — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:24:17 +0000

I have used Barley in soups, even in chili to give it a "meaty" bite. ( I'm not a huge fan of TVP). I have ground it and put it in bread.
But our most favorite way of having barley is in a casserole. I don't have a recipe, so here goes my instructions:
Cook about 2 cups barley in 6 cups of water. A rice cooker is perfect, but certainly not necessary. Cook it until it is still very firm (al dente?). Then add 1 sauteed onion, 1/2 chopped bell pepper, 2-3 stalks chopped celery, 3-4 sliced carrots, and any other chopped up veggie you like. I've added zucchini, yellow squash, corn, broccoli, spinach. The possibilities are endless. We like veggies, so we add a lot.
Then add (approximately, to taste) 1t garlic (or less if you like), 1/2t pepper, 1/8t nutmeg, 1/2t thyme, and 2-3 Knorr bouillon cubes (they are larger than the traditional ones.)
Mix all of these items together well and bake (or continue in your rice cooker) until all the water is absorbed. I like mine a little crispy on the edges, so I leave it in a little while longer.
The whole process takes about 1.5 hours. I've never used Quick Barley, only long cooking stuff.
My husband likes it topped with Parmesan cheese. This makes a wonderful veggie dinner or hearty side dish.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 30 May 2009 10:09:44 +0000

Barley water is a cold drink – a concentrated juice that you usually mix with water is widely available in all British stores and usually flavoured with lemons, peach or other fruit……http://www.britvic.com/Brand.aspx?id=59
It can be made by boiling washed pearl barley, straining, then pouring the hot water over the rind and/or pulp of the fruit, and adding fruit juice and sugar to taste.

Here is a recipe for Royal Barley Water (This is the recipe that the English Royal Family uses to keep their complexions flawless – it is from Mrs Alma McKee who was chief cook to the royal family and is from her book “To set before a Queen)
1/2 cup pearl barley
11 cups boiling water
2 lemons
6 oranges (organic – they should have no added colouring or preservatives)
honey to taste
Put the barley and the boiling water into a large saucepan and simmer at low heat, with the lid on , for one hour.
Squeeze the fruit and keep the juice. Strain the water from the cooked barley into a bowl, add the honey and rinds from the lemons and oranges. Allow to stand until cold. Remove the rinds and add the orange and lemon juice. Refridgerate (If you are unable to get unsprayed citrus fruit, omit soaking their rinds in the barley water

By: Grandma Lori

Grandma Lori — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:48:43 +0000

Barley – My favorite little bag of grains to throw into any stew or soup. I like to rinse it off and pick through it before using it – in case there’s a stem or leaf or a little something.

Now, in Mary Poppins, when Jane and Michael Banks sing their song for a nanny advertisement they sing “Love us as a son and daughter…and never smell of barley water”. What do you think they’re talking about?

By: gaby

gaby — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:38:28 +0000

something that I do is I grind barley brown rice spelt equal parts let said 2c of each in the grinder and I put it in a ziploc bag in the freezer and these is my substitute for all purpose flour. it will not work if you use all these as a purpose flour so what I do is I use half whole wheat and half these substitute in any recipe that call for purpose flour and has work really good with all my recipes and sometimes I add some gluten flour,
I learn these substitute form chef brad.
hope you like it. I haven’t use all purpose flour for almost a year , and I do have some in my food storage just in case I can’t grind my flour.