Beer Bacon Barley!!

Barley is a spectacular grain.  

It is rich and earthy.  When you cook it, it plumps beautifully and makes for a fantastic POP when you eat it!  The texture is chewy and satisfying.
This recipe is really basic but packs huge flavor.
You will need,

6 slices of bacon, chopped up
half an onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
kosher salt
black pepper 1 cup pearled barley
1 can of light beer
2.5 cups chicken or beef stock

In a medium-sized dutch oven or saucepan, render the bacon over medium heat.  Remove the cooked swine bits and add the minced onion into the liquid bacon fat.  
Sauté until translucent, then add the garlic. 

After the garlic has been in for about 5 minutes, add in the barley.  Stir it around for a few minutes and get it all toasty.  It will smell heavenly.  

Pour in the beer and stock, add the swine bits, stir to combine, and cover.  Lower the heat to lowlow and simmer for 90 minutes.  

Yes.  Ninety minutos.

After a half-hour, you can stir it.  But only that one time.  

When the timer goes off, fluff it all up and enjoy!  The grains will get super plump, more than doubling in size.

Great as a side dish, but also a phenomenal topping for salads!