Skillet Pearl Barley with Canned Stewed Meat

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make skillet pearl barley with canned stewed meat? Put the pearl barley in a colander and rinse it thoroughly under running water—it should rinse until the water runs nearly clear.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cover the barley with filtered drinking water and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour. This shortens the cooking time later.

3. Step 3:

   

   My barley soaked even longer than that. If you soak it overnight, you'll only need to cook it about fifteen minutes—a full 60% less cooking time!

4. Step 4:

   

   Transfer the barley to a pot of the right size and add filtered water to about an inch (3 cm) above the grain—about 800 ml for me. Cook over medium heat until tender. The timing varies, since every stove behaves a little differently.

5. Step 5:

   

   Once the water boils, salt it. If you soaked the barley for an hour, it'll need about forty minutes. Stir now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

6. Step 6:

   

   Taste a grain; if it's soft, take the barley off the heat. Drain it in a colander and rinse with cold filtered water. It's the same idea as with boiled rice—rinsing keeps the barley fluffy and stops it from clumping.

7. Step 7:

   

   Now make the sautéed vegetables. Wash the carrot under running water and peel it. Finely chop the carrot.

8. Step 8:

   

   Peel the onion and finely chop it too. Chopping these vegetables small helps them cook through in the sauté.

9. Step 9:

   

   Heat a non-stick skillet with low sides over high heat. Pour in the sunflower oil and let it get good and hot, then lower the heat to medium. Add the carrot and onion and cook until soft, about five minutes, stirring now and then so they don't burn.

10. Step 10:

    

    Take the stewed meat out of the can and pick through it. It's hard to find canned meat—even pricey kinds—without some fat and connective tissue, and you'll want to remove those, along with any broth and bay leaf. We only want clean meat.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add the meat to the sautéed vegetables and cook everything together for a couple of minutes.

12. Step 12:

    

    All that's left is to add the barley to the skillet, stir until evenly combined, and heat the dish through for another five to seven minutes. Then taste it—it may need a little more salt. Done!