Barley was first cultivated in the Fertile Crescent area of the Middle East. It is adapted to a wide range of climates as a staple food for many cultures. In the U.S., barley used to be a key component of animal feed, but has been replaced with corn and soy over the last several decades.
In America, barley is most known as a malted ingredient used for the production of beer, making it an ideal crop for boosting the revival of regional grain production. Food-grade barley has great potential, too, and current research efforts are focused on finding varieties that will suit regional food systems. Find out more about barley, especially naked (hulless) barley and recipes for how to use it at barleyworld.org, the barley research website of Oregon State University.
There are two main classifications of barley: “two-row” and “six-row” which differ in their arrangement of kernels on the seed head. Generally, barley retains its outer husk when harvested, which is part of the reason this grain malts and brews so well. However, for eating, “covered” barley needs dehulling to remove that same husk. Researchers are working to develop naked (free-threshing) varieties with fun names like ‘Buck’ to reduce the need for dehulling, saving regional farms and food businesses money on additional processing infrastructure.
Function: Naked and pearled barley can be cooked whole, flaked for cereal, and ground for flour; barley flour is best used for cookies, muffins and cakes. Hulled barley is mostly used in malting or for animal feed.
Flavor profile: Barley has a range of tastes, with subtle notes of roasted almonds, and scents of malt and vanilla. Though not typically grown in the Midwest, purple barleys offer extra fun in color, and the anthocyanins that contribute to that color are nutritious and flavorful.
Nutritional info: For eating, barley is commonly abraded, or pearled, to remove the husk. This also removes some of the bran. Pearling makes barley cook more quickly, but also results in the loss of its USDA classification as a whole grain. Barley is a relatively low glycemic index grain, and can have high levels of beta glucan, a soluble dietary fiber also found in oats.