James Silverton wrote:
> cybercat wrote on Thu, 5 Feb 2009 13:34:10 -0500:
>
>
>> "Debbie" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Dimitri" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Would you cook the barley separately than add it to the soup
>>>> or cook it right in the soup?
>>>>
>>> I rinse and add to the soup.
>>>
>> I do too, but find that if I use too much barley it gives the soup a
>> weird consistency. Kind of slimy. a little bit will do.
>
> Barley will soften and disintegrate if cooked too long, tho' many
> recipes for Cockaleekie soup (Scottish, chicken-leek) include barley and
> cook the soup for several hours.
>
>
How long is too long, though? When I'm using barley in vegetable soup,
I start with raw pot barley (not pearled), and add it fairly early in
the process. The pot of soup ends up being on the stove for at least
several hours, often longer, and has never disintegrated or become
bloated and mushy (as someone else posted) or slimy (as yet others have
posted).