Pearl barley

{{Short description|Barley processed to remove the outer husk}}

{{For|Chinese pearl barley|Job's tears}}

{{distinguish|Pearl Bailey}}

File:Barley grains.jpg

Pearl barley, or pearled barley, is barley that has been processed to remove its fibrous outer hull and polished to remove some or all of the bran layer.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

It is the most common form of barley for human consumption because it cooks faster and is less chewy than other, less-processed forms of the grain[http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainBarley.html Barley] from The Cook's Thesaurus (foodsubs.com) such as "hulled barley" (or "barley groats", also known as "pot barley" and "Scotch barley"). Fine barley flour is prepared from milled pearl barley.{{cite book | last=Ensminger | first=M.E. | last2=Ensminger | first2=A.H. | title=Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia, Two Volume Set | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=1993 | isbn=978-0-8493-8980-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMA9gYIj-C4C&pg=PA164 | accessdate=May 30, 2016 | page=164}}

Pearl barley is similar to wheat in its caloric, protein, vitamin and mineral content, though some varieties are higher in lysine.[http://agresearch.montana.edu/wtarc/producerinfo/agronomy-nutrient-management/Barley/BarleyBasics.pdf Barley basics], from the Montana State University It is used mainly in soups, stews, and potages. It is the primary ingredient of the Italian dish orzotto and one of the main ingredients of the Jewish dish cholent and the Polish soup krupnik.{{cn|date=September 2023}}