Previously, I only cooked kutya from pearl barley. Like everyone else, she unreasonably but firmly considered it a second-rate raw material for porridge, suitable only for unpretentious soldier’s cuisine. However, not so long ago I came across a page from Pokhlebkin’s book, where he literally sings an ode to pearl barley porridge, and a sporting interest in this product took hold in me. A bag of pearl barley was bought and soon tried.
It must be said that I rarely have the patience to strictly follow other people’s recipes, so I did not prepare the porridge as described in Pokhlebkin’s book, but followed my intuition and experience, which did not let me down. The pearl barley porridge with meat turned out excellent, the first kilogram of cereal was quickly gone, and the new dish confidently became one of my favorites. I am sharing this recipe with you.

Ingredients:

• 200 g pork,
• 1 large onion,
• 1 carrot,
• 1.5 cups pearl barley,
• Salt,
• ground pepper,
• Bay leaf.

Cooking process:

First, I prepare pearl barley porridge with meat according to the pilaf principle, that is, I cook the meat and vegetables separately. But since pearl barley takes a long time to cook, unlike rice, I also cook it separately until almost done, and then simmer the meat and cereal together until the desired consistency. This option is the most reliable, because the cooking time of meat and cereals do not depend on each other - the porridge will not boil over, and the meat will not remain raw.

So, first we cut the meat into pieces and fry it in vegetable oil. Then, in the same frying pan along with the meat, lightly fry the onion and large pieces of carrots. Fill everything with water and simmer under the lid until the meat is cooked. If necessary, you can add water as much as necessary to make the meat soft. At the end of cooking, you should get a thick gravy in which the onion is almost invisible. Salt this gravy, add bay leaf, ground pepper and temporarily set aside.

Separately prepare the cereal. You can soak it in advance, but if you forgot or didn’t have time to do it, it’s okay, you’ll just have to cook it a little longer.

First, pour three glasses of water into the pearl barley and cook over low heat. Then you need to look at the degree of readiness, whether you need to add water (because the grain can be different and the grain itself can be specially processed for quick cooking).

The finished cooked cereal looks like whole grains, but becomes soft. After this, add the meat gravy to the saucepan with the barley and simmer them together for another 10-15 minutes (if there was excess water in the porridge before adding the gravy, then it should be almost completely drained).

Let the finished porridge brew.

Thanks to Natalia for the recipe and photo.

Cucumbers are the favorite crop of most gardeners, so they grow in our vegetable beds everywhere. But quite often, inexperienced summer residents have many questions about growing them, and, first of all, in open ground. The fact is that cucumbers are very heat-loving plants, and the agricultural technology of this crop in temperate climate zones has its own characteristics. We will tell you everything you need to know about growing cucumbers in open ground in this article.

Despite the popularity of the popular nickname “bottle palm,” it is very difficult to confuse the genuine hiophorba bottle palm with its relatives. A real indoor giant and quite a rare plant, hyophorba is one of the most elite palm trees. She became famous not only for her special bottle-shaped trunk, but also for her very difficult character. Caring for hyophorba is no more difficult than caring for ordinary indoor palm trees. But the conditions will have to be selected.

Warm salad with funchose, beef and mushrooms is a delicious dish for the lazy. Funchoza - rice or glass noodles - is one of the easiest to prepare among its pasta relatives. Just pour boiling water over the glass noodles and leave for a few minutes, then drain the water. Funchoza does not stick together and does not need to be watered with oil. I recommend cutting long noodles into smaller pieces with scissors so as not to inadvertently snag the entire portion of noodles in one sitting.

Surely, many of you have come across this plant, at least as a component of some cosmetic or food products. It is “disguised” under different names: “jujube”, “unabi”, “jujube”, “Chinese date”, but they are all the same plant. This is the name of a crop that has long been grown in China, and was grown as a medicinal plant. From China it was brought to the Mediterranean countries, and from there jujube began to slowly spread throughout the world.

May chores in the decorative garden are always associated with the need to use every free minute as productively as possible. This month, flower seedlings are planted and seasonal decoration begins. But you shouldn’t forget about shrubs, vines, or trees. Due to the imbalance of the lunar calendar this month, it is better to work with ornamental plants in early and mid-May. But the weather does not always allow you to follow the recommendations.

Why do people move to the countryside and buy dachas? For a variety of reasons, of course, including practical and material ones. But the main idea is still to be closer to nature. The long-awaited summer season has already begun; a lot of work awaits us in the garden. With this material we want to remind you and ourselves that in order for work to be a joy, you must remember to rest. What could be better than relaxing in the fresh air? Just relax in a furnished corner of your own garden.

May brings not only long-awaited warmth, but also no less long-awaited opportunities to plant even heat-loving plants in the beds. This month, seedlings begin to be transferred into the soil, and crops reach their peak. While planting and new crops are being planted, it is important not to forget about other important chores. After all, not only the beds need enhanced care, but also the plants in greenhouses and seedlings, which are beginning to be actively hardened off this month. It is important to form plants in time.

Pie for Easter - a homemade recipe for a simple sponge cake filled with nuts, candied fruits, figs, raisins and other goodies. The white icing that decorates the cake is made from white chocolate and butter, it won't crack, and it tastes like chocolate cream! If you don’t have the time or skills to tinker with yeast dough, then you can prepare this simple holiday baking for the Easter table. I think any novice home pastry chef can master this simple recipe.

Thyme or thyme? Or maybe thyme or Bogorodskaya grass? Which is correct? And it’s correct in every way, because these names “pass” the same plant, more precisely, one genus of plants from the Lamiaceae family. There are many other popular names associated with the amazing property of this subshrub to release large amounts of aromatic substances. The cultivation of thyme and its use in garden design and cooking will be discussed in this article.

Favorite Saintpaulias have not only a special appearance, but also a very specific character. Growing this plant bears little resemblance to classical care for indoor crops. And even the relatives of Uzambara violets from among the Gesnerievs require a slightly different approach. Watering is often called the most “strange” point in caring for violets, which prefer non-standard watering to the classical method. But the approach will also have to be changed when it comes to fertilizing.

Savoy cabbage gratin is a vegetarian recipe for a tasty and healthy meat-free dish that can be prepared during Lent, since no animal products are used in its preparation. Savoy cabbage is a close relative of white cabbage, but it is superior to its “relative” in taste, so dishes with this vegetable always turn out successful. If for some reason you don’t like soy milk, then replace it with plain water.

Currently, thanks to breeders, more than 2000 varieties of large-fruited garden strawberries have been created. The same one that we usually call “strawberries”. Garden strawberries arose as a result of the hybridization of Chilean and Virginia strawberries. Every year, breeders never tire of surprising us with new varieties of this berry. Selection is aimed at obtaining not only productive varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests, but also those with high taste and transportability.

Useful, hardy, unpretentious and easy to grow, marigolds are irreplaceable. These summer gardens have long since moved from city flower beds and classic flower beds to original compositions, decorating beds and potted gardens. Marigolds, with their easily recognizable yellow-orange-brown colors and even more inimitable aromas, today can pleasantly surprise with their diversity. Firstly, among marigolds there are both tall and miniature plants.

The system of protection of fruit and berry plantings is based mainly on the use of pesticides. However, if in the protection of seed orchards pesticides can be used during almost the entire growing season, taking into account the waiting period for each preparation, then in the protection of berry crops they can be used only before the beginning of flowering and after harvesting. In this regard, the question arises of what drugs should be used during this period to suppress pests and pathogens.

Even in ancient times, pearl barley was highly valued for its taste and beneficial properties. This is a source of vigor and strength, good mood and a lot of useful microelements. It is even believed that regular consumption of pearl barley promotes the development of high intelligence.

The rating of its popularity in cooking, compared to other cereals, is undeservedly underestimated. Perhaps, if you know how to cook barley with meat tasty and correctly, you can make it a favorite dish for the whole family.

There are many ways to prepare pearl barley porridge. It goes well with meat and vegetables, and spices give it an amazing aroma and make the dish piquant.

Cooking delicious pearl barley

It is impossible to convey in words all the subtleties of the aroma that spreads through the kitchen when preparing pearl barley pilaf. It will be well received at home for both lunch and dinner. It is very satisfying, tasty, healthy and easy to prepare. It is advisable to use a cauldron, but if you don’t have one, a frying pan with a thick bottom will do.

For pilaf you will need:

• 500 grams of beef;
• 1 cup pearl barley;
• 2 onions;
• 1 carrot;
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste;
• 1 chilli pepper;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 70 ml vegetable oil;
• paprika, cumin, barberry, salt.

Preparation

1. First of all, we rinse well and clear the beef from the films, cut it into small pieces.
2. Chop the onion into half rings and cut the carrots into strips.
3. Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of the cauldron, heat it, and pour in the pieces of meat. It should not be completely fried, but covered with a golden crust, after which we add onion to it. It is important not to let the onions burn, otherwise the entire taste and aroma will be spoiled.
4. The last vegetable to add is carrots; they should be soft and slightly golden when fried.
5. Now it's time for spices: add cumin to the meat and add tomato paste.
6. After a few more minutes, add barberry, paprika and place peeled garlic in the center.
7. Next, add hot water to the cauldron; it should cover the entire base for the pilaf. We leave everything to simmer, after boiling, add salt and leave on the fire for another 30-40 minutes, covering with a lid.
8. At this time, we will prepare the pearl barley. It needs to be washed thoroughly, poured onto a paper or regular towel, and allowed to dry.
9. To enhance the aroma and highlight the taste of pearl barley, it is recommended to begin its preparation by frying.Pour the dried cereal into a frying pan without oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until a subtle aroma appears, slightly reminiscent of nuts.
10. Place the pearl barley in a cauldron with the meat, level it well using a wooden spatula, add boiling water so that it covers the barley and rises another 2 centimeters above its level.
11. Bring the pilaf to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the cauldron with a lid and leave to cook for another 40 minutes.

There should be no water left in the finished dish; it will all evaporate.

Before placing the pilaf on plates, mix it well. When serving for dinner, pearl barley can be sprinkled with herbs and garnished with fresh bell peppers and tomatoes.

I advise you to try again - very tasty!

Bon appetit and be healthy!

Not everyone knows that pearl barley is ordinary barley, cleared of bran. Since ancient times, this grain has been considered a source of strength, vigor and good mood. Many also argued that barley contributes to the development of a fairly high level of intelligence in humans. And pearl barley with meat is also quite a satisfying dish.

Delicious dish from the oven

Usually, at home, porridge is cooked on the stove, but barley with meat is best prepared in the oven. This significantly simplifies the process and reduces the time required for its preparation.

This fact is very important. To feed the family a delicious dinner, the housewife needs to have:

400 grams of pearl barley, one and a half liters of water, 3 pieces of chicken fillets, 1 carrot, 1 onion, salt, bay leaf and any usual spices.

It should be prepared as follows:

1. The night before, sort out the barley, fill it with water and leave overnight so that the barley can swell a little.
2. The process begins with processing the meat. It needs to be washed and then cut into small pieces. After that, sprinkle them with spices, salt, mix well and leave them alone for 10 minutes.
3. During this time, you can have time to grate the carrots and chop the onions.
4. Fry the prepared meat in a frying pan until half cooked. Then add chopped vegetables to it and simmer everything together a little.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add pearl barley to the hot mixture. Move everything carefully.
6. Place the mixture of products in pots and place in the oven for about 30 minutes at a temperature of about 200-210 degrees.
7. Take out the finished dish and let it cool for 15 minutes. Now you can put it on the table.

Everyone will definitely like this pearl barley with meat. And eating it from a pot will be even more enjoyable.

Porridge on the stove

Barley with meat does not necessarily mean with chicken. Beef is also perfect for cooking. Yes, you can also do without soaking the cereal. In this case, for work you will need:

0.5 cups of barley, 200 grams of beef, salt, 1 small carrot, 1 medium-sized onion, spices and butter.

Sequence of cooking steps:

1. From the very beginning, the cereal must be rinsed thoroughly with cold water. Then fill it with water again and put it on the stove to cook. Cook over low heat until almost fully cooked, and then rinse again under running water.
2. Chop the vegetables and then fry them in oil in a deep frying pan. Add spices, salt, boiling water (or broth) and boil a little. Place pearl barley into the hot mixture and simmer until done.
3. Lightly fry the pieces of meat in a separate frying pan and add them to the boiling porridge. Let the ingredients cook together for 10 minutes.

After this, you can safely put the dish on plates and wait for well-deserved words of praise.

New version of pearl barley porridge

Habitual cooking options for the same dish often get boring. But a real housewife is always ready to show her imagination, and then an ordinary pearl barley with meat, the recipe of which is known to everyone, can turn into a real work of art. Products you will need:

600 grams of fresh meat (beef or pork), 2 carrots, 50 grams of celery, 1 bell pepper, salt, 85 grams of vegetable oil, peppercorns, herbs (parsley and onion), 1 bay leaf. The amount of pearl barley does not depend on other products.

Cooking process progress:

1. Pour the washed cereal with cold water for 10-12 hours. Then drain this water completely and rinse the cereal thoroughly several times so that it does not stick together or burn. Place the prepared pearl barley in a saucepan, add water again and place on a lit stove. After boiling, reduce the heat and cook the porridge for an hour.
2. Without wasting time, you can start preparing all the other products. Grate the carrots and celery, cut the peppers and onions into cubes, and divide the meat into small pieces with a knife (as for goulash).
3. It's better to cook in a cauldron. First, you need to fry the meat in oil for 5-6 minutes. Then add the pre-prepared vegetables and spices, mix and fry everything together for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour water over the food so that it completely covers it and bring the contents of the cauldron to a boil. Then you need to reduce the heat and leave the mixture to simmer for 40 minutes (for beef - an hour and a half).
5. 15 minutes before the end of cooking, add the cereal, add salt, bay leaf, pepper and mix everything.

It makes an excellent pearl barley with meat. The recipe can be adjusted as desired.

The simplest option

For those who spend little time in the kitchen and don’t know at all how to cook barley with meat, the option of using semi-finished products is suitable. For this you will need: 1 can of regular meat stew, 250 grams of pearl barley, a couple of cloves of garlic, salt, vegetable oil, 2 onions and carrots.

Everything is prepared very simply:

1. Soak the washed cereal in water for 5-8 hours (better even longer).
2. Chop the garlic, carrots and onions (by any known method).
3. Rinse the barley, add fresh water again, and bring to a boil on the stove. Then add salt and cook for 20 minutes. The finished cereal should be placed in a colander.
4. Fry carrots and onions in a frying pan in oil. Then add the prepared cereal, garlic and mix everything.
5. Pour boiling water over the contents, cover tightly with a lid, put on fire and cook for 30-35 minutes.
6. Add the stew to the mixture and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes.

Before serving, the porridge should steep a little. Only then can it be laid out on plates and served with pickled vegetables or salad. This is the easiest way, which makes it possible for even a schoolchild to figure out how to cook pearl barley with meat.

Dishes in pots

Recently, for some reason, it has become fashionable to cook hot dishes in portioned dishes. But everyone does it in their own way. For example, pearl barley in a pot with beef turns out very tasty. It is not difficult to prepare such a dish.

For 3 pots you only need: 1 cup pearl barley, salt, 1 onion, ground pepper, 600 grams of beef (tenderloin), bay leaf.

This option does not require preliminary preparation of products. Everything is done in stages:

1. Chop the onion randomly and fry in boiling oil.
2. Carefully cut the meat into pieces.
3. Place in prepared pots in sequence: fried onions, meat, salt, pepper, washed cereal. Pour the contents with water and put one bay leaf in each pot. Then cover them with foil and place them in the oven, preheated to 185-190 degrees.

In a couple of hours, the pearl barley in the pot with meat will be ready. You don’t need to monitor her, and you can spend your free time as you wish.

Equipment to help the housewife

Recently, housewives are increasingly using technical innovations in the kitchen. With their help, you can make a very tasty barley with meat in a slow cooker. It's convenient, practical and quite fast. There is no need to have multiple frying pans and different pots. The whole process takes place in one bowl.

You only need the following products: 350 grams of any meat, 1 carrot, 280 grams of pearl barley, 2 onions, 70 grams of vegetable oil, 625 milliliters of water, salt, seasoning, bay leaf and 2-3 cloves of garlic.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the meat into pieces, and chop the onions and carrots in any usual way.
2. Pour oil into a bowl, add meat and add pepper. Set the “fry” mode and leave the food for 15 minutes.
3. Add carrots and onions. Mix everything and leave as before for another 10 minutes.
4. Add all other components according to the recipe and set the “pilaf” mode. Cooking will take 40-50 minutes.

After the multicooker signals that it is ready, you can wait 10 minutes, then open the lid and place the porridge on plates.

A new version of porridge from the oven

Pearl barley porridge was very popular in Rus'. Since then, many ways of preparing it have been preserved. Back then, everything was done mainly in the oven. Now it has been replaced by an oven. And there are countless recipes. For example, barley with meat in the oven will be even tastier if you add mushrooms to it.

You will need the following set of products: for one and a half glasses of pearl barley, 300 grams of fresh mushrooms, 200 grams of beef (boiled and minced), a couple of onions, salt, 1 carrot, nutmeg and ginger.

Cooking process:

1. Soak the cereals in cold water for several hours (8-12) in advance.
2. After this, rinse the swollen pearl barley, place it in a pan, carefully pour boiling water over it and place it in the oven for 40 minutes, having previously set the temperature to 180 degrees.
3. At this time, fry the chopped carrots and onions a little in oil. Then add the mushrooms cut into pieces, and a little later the minced meat. Fry the mixture until all the moisture has evaporated.
4. Remove the pan with porridge from the oven, put the prepared mixture, ginger, nutmeg into it and mix well. Then cover with a lid and put it back in the oven. Reduce temperature to 150 degrees.

After 40 minutes, the aromatic dish will be completely ready.

This dish can be put on par with pilaf; it is just as tasty, high-calorie and filling. Barley with meat is not prepared quickly, but the result is worth the effort. This recipe shows a separate method of cooking cereals and meat. We will cook pearl barley in a saucepan, and fry and simmer pork with vegetables in a frying pan. Then all the ingredients are combined in one bowl and simmered until cooked.

Should pearl barley be soaked before cooking? It all depends on your taste preferences. If you expect to get a boiled, softer porridge and cook it for a short time, then you need to soak the product in cold water in advance (1 tbsp. cereal 1 liter of water) and leave overnight. Then drain the remaining liquid and then start cooking the cereal, taking the required amount of water (1:3). In this case, pearl barley will cook for about 40 minutes.

If you like coarser pearl barley, not too boiled, or don’t have time to soak, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just add water to the cereal in a ratio of 1:4 and cook over low heat until tender. Cooking, as a rule, takes no more than 1.5 hours. It is especially convenient to cook cereals in a slow cooker. In this case, we will boil it in a large amount of water and then drain it in a colander. This way, we will not allow the product to stick or burn during cooking.

Taste Info Second: cereals

Ingredients

• pearl barley – 1.5 tbsp.
• water – about 2 l
• pork shoulder – 400 g
• carrots – 1 pc.
• onion – 1 pc.
• cumin – 1 tsp.
• vegetable oil
• salt, pepper - to taste

How to cook pearl barley porridge with pork meat

Cut the carrots into small pieces (as for pilaf). Chop the onion too. Heat a frying pan or cauldron on fire with vegetable oil. Add the vegetables and sauté until they turn brown.

Rinse pearl barley thoroughly. If you decide to soak it, then do it 8-12 hours before preparing the dish. If you think you can do without soaking, just pour 1.5 tbsp. pearl barley with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, add salt and cook over low heat, covered with a lid, for 50-60 minutes.

Place the sliced ​​pork shoulder into the frying pan. You can choose the meat part that you like. Add salt, pepper and stir. Fry for 10 minutes over medium heat.

When the meat is slightly browned, pour in about 200 ml of water. Cover with a lid and simmer the pork with vegetables until cooked for about 30 minutes. Cooking time for the meat depends on the meat itself. It happens that it becomes soft very quickly, but it also happens the other way around.

When the pearl barley is cooked, place it in a colander and let all the liquid drain out. Then pour the porridge into the pan with the meat and vegetables. Stir. Add cumin (optional). Cover with a lid and simmer for another 10-15 minutes so that the barley with meat turns out tasty and aromatic.

This completes the preparation of this delicious dish. Let it sit covered for a while after removing from heat.

Serve barley with pork hot with plenty of vegetables and herbs.

On a note

• If you soak pearl barley in advance, you don’t have to cook it separately from the meat. After the pork has been fried, add the soaked cereal, add water in a ratio of 1:3 and cook under the lid with the meat until the liquid evaporates.
• You can add spices to this recipe to taste. For example, using seasoning for pilaf you will not only enhance the taste of the dish, but also make its appearance brighter. You can also put a whole head of garlic in the pearl barley, as is customary in the process of preparing pilaf.