Can you cook barley in a rice cooker?

If you love cooking rice and prefer doing it in your rice cooker, you may wonder if you can also cook barley in your rice cooker the same way you would cook rice and it turns out, the answer to this question is yes! 

But does that mean that you should cook barley in your rice cooker instead of on the stovetop? And if so, how do you know how much water to use? We’ve got all of the answers and more in this article about cooking barley in a rice cooker!

How to Cook Barley with a Rice Cooker

Barley is an ancient grain and it's still one of our favorite staples. It has more protein than brown rice, though it is often overlooked. If you're looking for an alternative to white or brown rice, consider cooking some pearl barley with your next batch of grains. 

Barley is not hard to prepare with a rice cooker, but there are some things that differ from cooking other grains like brown or white basmati. First of all, don't rinse your barley before adding it to your bowl. Rinsing reduces its flavor and makes for weaker nutritional benefits later on, so skip that step entirely.

General Rice Cooking Tips

The little grains of rice will expand about three times their size when cooked. The best way to ensure that all of your rice will be cooked is to add water or broth until it covers all of your rice, use short-grain white rice, and follow a 2:1 ratio of water to grain. 

For instance, for 1 cup of dry long-grain white or brown rice, you’ll need 2 cups of liquid to cook properly. Keep an eye on your pot as it cooks; if it boils over or comes close to boiling over (you’ll hear water splashing), turn down your heat slightly and continue stirring regularly. In addition, be sure not to crowd your pot leave space between each grain so steam can circulate.

Which Rice Cooker Should I Use?

This question is one of our most frequently asked questions. We get it there are an overwhelming number of different models and brands on Amazon alone, not to mention all of your local retail stores. So which one should you choose?

 The simple answer is that there’s no real right or wrong answer. The type of rice cooker will depend largely on how often you use it and how much storage space you have. Here are a few different types to consider

How to Clean My Rice Cooker

Why would I want to clean my rice cooker, you ask? Don’t fret I don’t intend to advise you to do it on a regular basis. However, if something spills into your cooker or if crumbs build up inside over time, it’s nice to know how to clear them out without ruining your appliance. 

The steps are similar for most brands of rice cookers and are simple: remove the inner lid from your machine, remove any debris from your bowl with a sponge and vinegar solution, dry thoroughly before replacing and plugging back in. That was easy! And so effective.

Troubleshooting Tips

Barley and rice are both whole grains that serve as great base ingredients for soups, stews, pilafs, and more. While these two grains can be used interchangeably in many dishes, it's not possible to simply cook them together as one grain. So does that mean that cooking pearl barley in a regular ol' rice cooker is an instant no?

 The short answer is no: You can't cook pearl barley directly in your run-of-the-mill rice cooker, but you can easily substitute it for brown or white basmati or jasmine rice and not only will your dish turn out just fine, but it may be healthier than if you'd cooked with either brown or white jasmine alone.

Conclusion

Technically, no. But if you’re looking for convenience, it’s worth noting that a variety of other grains including wild rice, quinoa and even pasta can be cooked in some types of rice cookers. If those are already staples in your diet and you just want to add some healthy grains to your meal plan, many types of whole grain pastas will likely work fine. Just make sure to follow any directions included with your specific machine or consult with its manufacturer before use!