A method for processing barley to make a quick-cooking barley product is described. Barley is pearled to remove hulls, and is then precooked to raise the moisture content and gelatinize starch in a single step. The precooked barley is dried in two stages. The first drying stage causes case hardening of the kernel, while the second stage heats moisture trapped within the kernel to cause steam expulsion from the hardened kernel and final drying of the precooked barley. The resulting dried product is a porous kernel that may be shipped, stored, and easily reconstituted by the end user.