Pearl Barley Water

Flavored barley water is a drink made up of simmered barley. The water is drained, sweetened, and served over ice, and makes for a nice summertime drink. It is easily made at home, and flavored to suit you.

Barley water can be made from cooked barley grain or with barley flour. If made with grain barley, there are typically two steps: straining after simmering, and then straining after it sits. Recipes that call for barley flour typically call for a quick boil or simmer, and then a single strain.

How is it flavored? Lemon, lime and orange are all popular flavorings to add to the cooked barley water, as are dried raisins or figs. If using a citrus juice, fresh squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice is added after straining, and then sweetened. If using citrus zest or dried fruits, the citrus rind (white pith removed) or dried fruit is added to the mixture as it simmers. Spices, such as cinnamon or ginger, are another nice addition. All barley water drinks are sweetened with either sugar or honey.

Try my favorite recipe for pearl barley water. It is flavored with sliced lemons and a bit of honey. It makes about 6 cups and will keep for a up to a week in the refrigerator.

Pearl Barley Water

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Ingredients

  

• 2 medium lemons see preparation below
• 3 oz. pearl barley grain about 1/2 cup
• 6 cups water
• 3 1/2 oz. granulated sugar or to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

 

• Finely grate the rind of the lemons, the yellow colored part only, avoiding any white pith. Reserve the zest. Slice off the ends of each lemon with a sharp paring knife, stand up on end, and cut the rest of the rind completely off the lemons. Discard the rind. Slice each peeled lemon into thin slices crosswise and reserve.
• Place the barley and water together in a large saucepan or pot. Bring to a full boil, and then reduce heat to a slow simmer.
• Add in the reserved finely grated lemon rind. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and strain the liquid out into a heat proof mixing bowl, pressing on the solids to extract any liquid.
• Add in the sugar to taste, honey, and the reserved sliced and peeled lemons. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Cool down the liquid until it comes to room temperature, then strain it the pearl barley water into a pitcher. Chill until cold.
• Serve over ice.
• Barley water will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving.