What's the difference between hulled and pearled grains

francesca gilberti
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4 Comments

Kristen M. May 2, 2011
No problem! And if having approximately a metric ton of grains hanging around my kitchen makes me an expert, then I guess I might be one! (I think it takes a bit more than that though.)
 
francesca G. May 2, 2011
Thanks, kristen! You're clearly a grain expert :)
 
georgeatplay May 2, 2011
I made a barley dish just last week (it was a Barley Risotto from Amanda's NYT Cookbook) and was confronted with the same choice. I used hulled barley for the nutritional content, and it turned out great.
 
Kristen M. May 2, 2011
Hulled grains just have the outermost hull removed, while pearled ones have the next layer down, the bran, scrubbed off as well. This means that hulled grains are more nutritious and "whole" and take more time to cook than pearled.
 
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