Cooking perfect brown rice takes more than just adding a cup of grains to a pot of boiling water. It’s an art in itself! If you want to learn how to make fluffy, flavorful brown rice that will have your family begging for more, this is the ultimate guide for you.
Brown Rice To Water Ratio
When it comes to cooking perfect brown rice, the key is getting the right ratio of water to rice. This is especially true when you’re cooking on the stove top.
Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is to follow a 2-to-1 ratio of water to rice; so for 1 cup (0.24 l) of rice, use 2 cups (0.47 l) of liquid. If you’re looking for even more flavor, try adding a bit of broth instead of plain water!
Pick The Right Pot
The right pot can make all the difference when it comes to cooking perfect brown rice. The best way to judge your pot size is by measuring the amount of dry rice you’re cooking with.
For 1 to 2 cups (0.47 l) of dry brown rice, a 2-quart saucepan should do the trick. If you opt for a bigger pot, you risk having less steam and potentially unevenly cooked rice. Too small and your pot could end up boiling over and making a sticky mess!
How To Cook Brown Rice On The Stove
1. Rinse The Rice
Cooking fluffy, delicious brown rice is easy when you know the basics. The first step is to rinse the dry rice before cooking.
To do this, put 1 cup (0.24 l) of dry brown rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water for 30 seconds.
This helps wash away any dirt or debris from the grains, as well as excess starch, which can make your cooked grains sticky and gummy.
Once rinsed, be sure to drain off all the excess water so that you’re left with just the clean grains. After rinsing and draining the rice, you’re ready to start cooking!
2. Measure The Water
Next, you’ll want to measure out the right amount of water before cooking your brown rice. As mentioned earlier, the rule of thumb is 2 cups (0.47 l) of water for every 1 cup (0.24 l) of dry rice.
This will yield a nice, fluffy batch of cooked grains when finished. If you’re looking for a more creamy texture, try increasing the amount of water by 1/4 to 1/2 cup per cup of dry rice.
Once you’ve measured out the desired amount of water and added it to a wide medium saucepan with a pinch of kosher salt, stir in the rinsed brown rice and bring it all to a boil over high heat.
3. Simmer The Rice
Once you’ve got your water boiling away, it’s time to reduce the heat and let your brown rice simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and give it a stir every so often, just to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
You’ll want to keep the heat low and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. This will ensure that your grains are cooked through and fluffy, not soggy or crunchy!
After the 30 minutes have passed, check on your rice – if there’s still some liquid left in the pan, turn off the heat and give it an extra few minutes of cooking time.
4. Remove The Rice From Heat
Once your brown rice has cooked through and all the liquid has been absorbed, it’s time to remove it from the heat.
It’s important to remember not to take off the lid right away; instead, let your pan sit, covered, for 10 minutes. This will help ensure that all the steam is released, resulting in perfectly fluffy and tender grains.
After 10 minutes have passed, you can finally remove the lid and fluff up your brown rice with a fork before serving. This last step is an essential one – without fluffing up your grains, they’ll end up sticking together!
With that being said, you should now be ready to enjoy a delicious batch of perfectly cooked brown rice.
How To Cook Brown Rice In Rice Cooker
Cooking brown rice in a rice cooker is incredibly easy and can be done in just a few simple steps.
First, as before, make sure to rinse your rice thoroughly with cold water before adding it to the cooker. This will help remove any impurities that may be present in the grains.
Next, add the appropriate amount of water to your cooker – usually two parts water to one part rice – and turn on the machine.
Depending on the type of brown rice you’re using, it should take anywhere from 20–40 minutes for the grains to cook through completely.
Once your timer sounds, let the brown rice sit for about 10 minutes before removing it from the heat. This will ensure that all the steam has been released and help create perfectly fluffy and tender grains.
After 10 minutes have passed, fluff up your brown rice with a fork before serving! And that’s all there is to it – you’ve now got yourself a delicious batch of perfectly cooked brown rice!
How To Cook Brown Rice In Instant Pot
Cooking brown rice in an Instant Pot is a great way to save time in the kitchen. All you’ll need is a cup of short-grain brown rice, 1¼ cups chicken broth and ½ teaspoon salt.
Once you’ve added the ingredients to the inner pot of your Instant Pot, put on the lid and lock it. Then set the pressure-cooker on high for 25 minutes before letting the pressure release naturally.
After that, fluff up your brown rice with a fork, and it’s ready to be served! Instant Pot cooking makes it easy to enjoy perfectly cooked brown rice in no time – no more waiting around for hours while your stove top method cooks through!
Cook Brown Rice Low And Slow
If you have the time and patience, then cooking brown rice low and slow is often the way to go.
By cooking your grains over a low flame with the lid on, you can ensure that each grain is cooked through evenly and retains its texture and flavor. This method also prevents your liquid from boiling over and creating a big mess!
To get started, just add your grains to a pot of cold water and bring it to a hard-boil over medium-high heat.
When you hear your pot hissing or the lid jittering, immediately turn the heat down to medium-low or as low as you can get it yet still have the liquid simmering. Then keep an eye on it – you don’t want your grains to cook too quickly, or they will become mushy!
Once all the liquid has been absorbed and your grains are tender, then your rice is ready.
Conclusion
Cooking brown rice can seem like a daunting task, but with the right technique and ingredients, it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re using an Instant Pot or cooking on the stove top low and slow, making tasty brown rice is easy.
Just remember to use good quality short-grain rice, add aromatics for extra flavor, season carefully and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. With these tips, you’ll be serving up delicious brown rice in no time!
