How Long to Cook Barley
There are two types of barley, pearl barley, and hulled barley. Each type of barley needs a different cook time. For pearl barley, it will take about 25 to 30 minutes to cook at a low simmer. Hulled barley is a little tougher and will take about 45 minutes to cook at the same low simmer. You can tell that either barley variety is done by testing the texture. When it's ready to eat, the barley should be tender and a little chewy. You'll also notice that the barley has absorbed most of the liquid it was cooked in. Usually, people boil it in water or broth.