Why doesn’t pearl barley swell in water?

There may be several reasons why barley remains tough even after a long boil:

• There is little water when soaking – the barley absorbs all the water, but it needs more to soften. The correct proportions – for half a glass of pearl barley, 2 cups of water, the wrong ones – for the same amount, only 1 glass of water.
• Soaking the barley in a cramped dish – then when it swells, the barley simply shrinks in tight walls, for soaking the barley needs space. The right dish is a wide and deep plate, a casserole with round sides. Incorrect dishes – mug, plate under the yoke of another plate, etc.
• Lack of soaking – pearl barley must be soaked, with the exception of boiling bag cereals.
• Old groats or low-grade groats. The size of the cereal will accurately show the digestibility – the small one was processed more, which means it is more likely to become soft. If in doubt, just buy pearl barley in cooking bags, this will surely melt.

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