brown rice help

[BevJ]

I recently bought a bag of brown rice. Normally I only use white rice that's ready in five minutes. I am making the rice according to the package, but it comes out sticky/glue-py like and not fluffy. Anything I can do to prevent that? I've tried using less water but that hasn't helped really.

[angie r]

I wish I could help but my long cooking rice always comes out like that too. Either it's gloppy or undercooked. My brother uses a rice steamer and loves it.

[Leigh]

My brown rice turns out that way too. I know Ann posted a way to cook it one time, but I don't remember what she said, but hopefully she will post an answer soon, so that both of us can try to get our brown rice right. LOL!

[Ryleigh S.]

I Brown has a slighty nuttier taste, probably not as starchy tasting. The only pain is that it takes longer to cook so you have to budget that into your cooking time. I usually take a little margarine and melt it in the bottom of the pan, add in fresh sliced mushrooms, salt/pepper and one cup of brown rice and saute it for a couple of minutes on med high heat. I then add 2 cups of chicken broth or water, bring to boi, then simmer for 40-45 minutes. Sort of a general rule of thumb, the less time it takes to cook something, the more processing it's had and the less nutrients it has (ie rice, oatmeal, pasta).

Is this what you were looking for???



I usually cook it a a slightly lower heat that reccomended. Takes a bit longer, but seems be be not quite a sticky when done.

[AnnW]

The key is to saute the rice first. I did a search and most people recommend rinsing it first.
One site had you saute it in oil like I suggested, another used no oil.
*****
The following is a fool-proof method for cooking brown rice, courtesy of Annette Annechild.

Either:

2-1/3 cups of rice to 4 cups of water

or 3 -1/2 cups of rice to 6 cups of water

Rinse the uncooked rice three times and drain well. Put the water on to boil in a separate saucepan. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, put two tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a heavy, tight-lidded sauce pan, then sauté the well-drained rice in the oil while you wait for the water to boil. Do this over fairly high heat. It has to be stirred constantly, otherwise it will scorch. This process coats the rice with the oil and evaporates the water from rinsing. The rice will begin to smell very nutty after a minute or two.

When the water in the other pan has come to a vigorous boil, pour it over the rice in the sauce pan. It is very important at this point not to stir the rice anymore, not even once. Let it come back up to a vigorous boil, put the lid on, turn it down as low as you can and cook for 45 minutes. During this time, do not lift the lid or do anything else to it. When 45 minutes is up, turn off the heat and let the rice sit undisturbed for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.




****

How does one cook brown rice, you ask? It's easy. One cup of raw brown rice makes about 2.5 cups of cooked rice. It requires about 2 cups of water per cup of rice. Here are simple directions to perfect brown rice.

First, rinse your rice well -- at least three times -- with cold water. Stir it with your hand in a circular direction. Next, let the rice soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and then turn the stove heat on medium. Stir the rice around the pot and toast it in this manner for a couple of minutes until it is fragrant, the grains are nearly dry, and the hissing noises have stopped. (This essential step adds flavor to your rice and prevents it from becoming gluey.) Then, add the required water. A teaspoon of salt and margarine (or other oil or fat) may be added. Bring to a boil and then cover tightly with a well-fitting lid and simmer at very low heat for 40 minutes (do not stir or even lift the lid to peek!). Turn the heat off and let it sit covered for another 15 minutes for truly sensational rice.

A nice variation is to cook your rice in mushroom or vegetable stock, leftover vegetable-steaming water, or with your favorite herbs

[BevJ]

So, if I follow these directions, I'll have perfect rice, but it will take and hour and a half to prepare, lol.

Thanks Ann!!!

[kat]

The key is to saute the rice first. I did a search and most people recommend rinsing it first.
One site had you saute it in oil like I suggested, another used no oil.
*****
The following is a fool-proof method for cooking brown rice, courtesy of Annette Annechild.

Either:

2-1/3 cups of rice to 4 cups of water

or 3 -1/2 cups of rice to 6 cups of water

Rinse the uncooked rice three times and drain well. Put the water on to boil in a separate saucepan. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, put two tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a heavy, tight-lidded sauce pan, then sauté the well-drained rice in the oil while you wait for the water to boil. Do this over fairly high heat. It has to be stirred constantly, otherwise it will scorch. This process coats the rice with the oil and evaporates the water from rinsing. The rice will begin to smell very nutty after a minute or two.

When the water in the other pan has come to a vigorous boil, pour it over the rice in the sauce pan. It is very important at this point not to stir the rice anymore, not even once. Let it come back up to a vigorous boil, put the lid on, turn it down as low as you can and cook for 45 minutes. During this time, do not lift the lid or do anything else to it. When 45 minutes is up, turn off the heat and let the rice sit undisturbed for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.




****

How does one cook brown rice, you ask? It's easy. One cup of raw brown rice makes about 2.5 cups of cooked rice. It requires about 2 cups of water per cup of rice. Here are simple directions to perfect brown rice.

First, rinse your rice well -- at least three times -- with cold water. Stir it with your hand in a circular direction. Next, let the rice soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and then turn the stove heat on medium. Stir the rice around the pot and toast it in this manner for a couple of minutes until it is fragrant, the grains are nearly dry, and the hissing noises have stopped. (This essential step adds flavor to your rice and prevents it from becoming gluey.) Then, add the required water. A teaspoon of salt and margarine (or other oil or fat) may be added. Bring to a boil and then cover tightly with a well-fitting lid and simmer at very low heat for 40 minutes (do not stir or even lift the lid to peek!). Turn the heat off and let it sit covered for another 15 minutes for truly sensational rice.

A nice variation is to cook your rice in mushroom or vegetable stock, leftover vegetable-steaming water, or with your favorite herbs

Wow, that's alot of work for rice. Good thing I'm not a big rice fan.

[AnnW]

So, if I follow these directions, I'll have perfect rice, but it will take and hour and a half to prepare, lol.

Thanks Ann!!!

It takes longer to fix whole grain rice, but not an hour and a half. maybe an hour and it pretty much just cooks on it's own, you don't have to tend to it.
there is instant brown rice, but i think that defeats the healthy part.

[BevJ]

It takes longer to fix whole grain rice, but not an hour and a half. maybe an hour and it pretty much just cooks on it's own, you don't have to tend to it.

Soak for 1/2 hour
simmer for 45 min.
let stand for 15 min.
Equals and hour and a half to me, lol.

I know it's not something I have to watch and not tend to, but it means planning ahead, that's for sure. I agree about the healthier benefits, so I won't give up cooking it...yet :)

[AnnW]

The first recipe didn't say to soak for 30 minutes. The 2nd recipe was defintely more involved, but just wanted to toss out some options. I never soak it. IMO, the rinsing of the rice first, then sauteing it is what makes it good.

[Leigh]

Thanks! I will have to try this.

[PamE]

The key is to saute the rice first. I did a search and most people recommend rinsing it first.
One site had you saute it in oil like I suggested, another used no oil.
*****
The following is a fool-proof method for cooking brown rice, courtesy of Annette Annechild.

Either:

2-1/3 cups of rice to 4 cups of water

or 3 -1/2 cups of rice to 6 cups of water

Rinse the uncooked rice three times and drain well. Put the water on to boil in a separate saucepan. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, put two tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a heavy, tight-lidded sauce pan, then sauté the well-drained rice in the oil while you wait for the water to boil. Do this over fairly high heat. It has to be stirred constantly, otherwise it will scorch. This process coats the rice with the oil and evaporates the water from rinsing. The rice will begin to smell very nutty after a minute or two.

When the water in the other pan has come to a vigorous boil, pour it over the rice in the sauce pan. It is very important at this point not to stir the rice anymore, not even once. Let it come back up to a vigorous boil, put the lid on, turn it down as low as you can and cook for 45 minutes. During this time, do not lift the lid or do anything else to it. When 45 minutes is up, turn off the heat and let the rice sit undisturbed for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

I know this is an older post, but I just wanted to say that this method works really well! We had stir fry (finally) the other night and it was one of the very few times my rice has come out perfectly. :)

[AnnW]

great! doesn't it taste wonderful?!

[PamE]

great! doesn't it taste wonderful?!

Yes, it does! Dh loves rice and every time I try to make it it's just a big flop. :rolleyes: He's a happy man now, lol!

[JAK]

I just got a Pampered Chef rice cooker and it works WONDERFULLY and it goes in the microwave!

[AnnW]

I didn't know they have one. Does it cook it any quicker?

[Diane]

I've never heard of one that goes in the microwave. Cool...... Let us know how it turns out. :)

[JAK]

I didn't know they have one. Does it cook it any quicker?
Same amount of time as it would take in a pan on the stove. It's just less messy for me. For some reason when I make rice on the stove I make a mess. :rolleyes: