Learning how to cook brown rice perfectly is not difficult. It does take a little longer to cook than white rice, but the results are worth it.
How to Cook Brown Rice Easily
Sometimes brown rice can be hard to get just exactly right. The texture is either too mushy, too chewy, or too stuck together. With this technique the grains come out tender, slightly chewy and fluffy without being sticky or mushy. It will make perfect brown rice every time.
Ingredients for Four Servings of Cooked Brown Rice
- 1 cup of uncooked brown rice
- 5 cups of water or broth
- 1 teaspoon of salt or to your taste
Instructions for Cooking the Rice
- Rinse the rice first. Place the rice in a strainer and hold it under cold, running water. Mix the rice around with your hand to ensure that it is thoroughly rinsed.
- Bring the water or broth to a boil in a stock pot with a lid.
- Once the water boils stir in the brown rice.
- Turn the heat down immediately to medium and simmer uncovered for thirty minutes. Stir it once in a while.
- After it has simmered for a half hour pour the rice into a strainer and allow to drain. If you have used broth you may want to drain it into a bowl and save it.
- Turn off the heat.
- Pour rice back into the pot, cover tightly and allow to steam on the stove for ten minutes.
- Uncover and fluff with a fork for perfectly steamed brown rice.
Why This Works Better
Brown rice still has a bran coating on it, which can become sticky. When less water is used the cooking time must be longer and the result is a sticky, overcooked rice. By boiling in a lot of water, draining, and then steaming, the sticky gluten is rinsed away.
A similar method is used on Saveur but with much more water. This method is as effective and uses less water. You may also want to use Brown Basmati rice for consistent results. Quinoa is cooked in a similar way. Knowing how to cook brown rice and other grains is a basic skill for almost any cook.
