Barley Porridge with Butter
Barley grits get blamed for turning to paste, but the fault is the ratio and the heat, not the grain. Three and a half parts water to one of grain, the lowest flame and no stirring after it boils, and the grains stay separate, soft and creamy. The butter here is an ingredient, not a garnish.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 300 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 4 bowls
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Rinse the grain
Rinse the grits through several changes of water until it stops running white. That washed-off starch is exactly what glues the porridge into one mass later.
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Step 2: Start in cold water
Tip the grain into a heavy pot, add the 700 ml of cold water and the salt. A cold start lets every grain heat through evenly and open up.
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Step 3: Bring to the boil
Bring it to the boil over medium heat and skim the foam. This is the last moment the porridge should be stirred.
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Step 4: Simmer covered
Turn the heat to its lowest, cover and cook for 25–30 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring. The water should be gone and small craters should appear on the surface.
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Step 5: Add the butter whole
Off the heat, lay the butter on top in one piece without stirring it in, then cover with the lid and a towel.
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Step 6: Let it steam
Leave it 15 minutes. The butter melts down through the grain and the last of the moisture is taken up. Only then stir — and loosen with hot milk if you like it softer.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Barley grits are hulled, cracked barley and cook in 25–30 minutes. Pearl barley is the whole grain and needs 50–60 minutes and a soak; they are easy to confuse and behave nothing alike.
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Tip
Stirring while it cooks is the main cause of paste: every pass of the spoon drags starch out of the grain. Once at the start, once at the end, and no more.
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Variation
A savoury version for meat: instead of milk, fold in fried onion and carrot and swap the butter for three spoons of oil.
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Storage
Three days in the fridge. Reheat covered with a spoonful of water per portion — microwaved dry it goes hard at the edges and stays cold inside.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 300 kcal | 1,200 kcal |
| Protein | 8 g | 32 g |
| Fat | 12 g | 48 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g | 160 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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