I’m sure I’ll be updating this post in about a month when I give in to the Instant Pot trend (anyone have one?!) but for now, here’s the easiest way I’ve found to cook brown rice perfectly on the stove. Basically, you ignore the package’s instructions and cook it like pasta instead, which takes the guesswork out of getting the rice-water ratio just right.
I eat mostly brown instead of white rice at home because it has more fiber and other nutrients. White rice is essentially brown rice with the outer layers removed, and this process strips a lot of the nutritional value of the grain, making it no longer a ‘whole grain’ like brown rice.
And by the way, same goes for other grains — namely, wheat. If you’re looking to get your whole-grain nutrients from bread, crackers, etc., always make sure ‘whole wheat flour’ is the first ingredient listed. Otherwise, odds are it’s mostly made of super-processed/refined flour — usually disguised as ‘enriched wheat flour’ (sounds healthy right?! so sneaky) — even if it’s marketed as whole grain/wheat.
Anyway, if you’ve given up on brown rice because it comes out crunchy (or worse, mushy), or if you’ve been intimidated to try it, use this method and I promise you’ll be converted!
Perfect Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- ~6 cups water
Instructions
- Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil (it doesn’t need to be exact but you’ll need at least this much). Add 1 cup of rice and boil uncovered for 30 minutes. It should be soft but chewy. Drain in a fine strainer if you have one, or just drain off the extra liquid using the lid. Put the lid on (it should be tight fitting) and steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and reheat in the microwave with a splash of water. It also freezes really well - since it takes a while to cook, I usually make a big batch and freeze the leftovers in portions if I won’t use it within a week.
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