12 November 2015

How to Make Perfect Fluffy Brown Rice

Perfect Fluffy Brown Rice / www.delightfulrepast.com

Fluffy brown rice is not something I've had very often in my life outside my own kitchen. More often than not, it is sticky, gummy and not very tasty. Someone recently told me of a method meant to ensure perfect results, and I had to laugh out loud! It involved ridiculous amounts of water, treating the rice like pasta. Not necessary, I assure you. 

I cook it much the same way I make my Mexican Rice, with a few slight changes. Brown rice always takes longer to cook than white, and my method takes even longer; so I always make a huge batch of it to enjoy throughout the week (it reheats beautifully in the microwave). 

The only way to get consistent results with any rice recipe is to use the same rice and the same pan each time--especially when making a large quantity. So once the recipe comes out to your liking, always use the same rice and the same pan. I perfected my recipe using Lundberg organic long-grain brown rice and a 5 1/2-quart Le Creuset Round French Oven



How to Make Perfect Fluffy Brown Rice / www.delightfulrepast.com

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Perfect Fluffy Brown Rice


(Makes 20 servings)

1 quart lower sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth or water, if you're vegetarian)
1 quart water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 2-pound bag long-grain brown rice (I use Lundberg organic)
1 8-ounce can tomato* sauce or 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) fire roasted crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen organic; it is THE best!)

* This amount of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes will not result in a tomato-y rice; that is not the point. It is just enough to add "a certain something" to the flavor.

1 In 3-quart saucepan, bring broth, water and salt to a simmer while browning the rice.

2 In 5 1/2-quart pot, heat olive oil and stir in rice (straight from the package--do not rinse). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until rice is golden brown. This may take 20 to 30 minutes; don't rush it.

Note: If you've made pilaf before, the rice is sauteed just until translucent. I want you to go waaaayy beyond translucent. I want you to toast this rice to a nice golden brown like in the photo below, and that takes some time (which is why I make big batches of rice).



Perfect Fluffy Brown Rice / www.delightfulrepast.com


3 Gradually stir tomato sauce into rice and cook for 2 minutes, then add hot broth to rice. Bring to a full boil and stir just once. Put the lid on tightly, turn the heat down low and leave undisturbed for 45 to 50 minutes.

Note: If this is your first time making this, take a really quick peek to see if liquid has evaporated and rice is done. If not, put the lid back on and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

4 Cover and let stand, off heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, inserting your fork at the edge of the pan and fluffing toward the center, going all around the edge of the pan. Garnish, if you like, and serve.

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Jean

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32 comments:

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

“Velly, velly intelesting…” he said, narrowing his eyes shrewdly and dancing his fingertips together. Rice – and especially brown rice – is my one concession to starches, as I eat almost no potatoes and very little bread. And as with all my recipes (hah…hardly worthy of the term), I go by sight, smell and finally taste (which includes texture or touch). But you have me thinking of nuances I could throw in there, especially stuff like olive oil and a variety of things with more tang. Would depend on what I’m surfing with the rice (e.g. shrimp that already has a sauce on it would require neutral rice). Good ol’ Uncle Ben’s (not Uncle Bend’s -- that’s an entirely different dining experience brought about by bringing the rice up too fast from deep water in the pan…aaaargh). Incidentally, for people with electric stoves (tsk, tsk), I would add that your formula should expand to same rice, same pan, same burner. See? I can get serious. I mean I didn’t make fun of “same rice” when I could have said something like, “ yeah, that rice hangs around forever.”

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Excellent point about the burner, Sully. And it applies to many gas stoves as well. My stove has 5 burners, including three "regular" burners, a lower BTU simmer burner and a higher BTU big burner. I always use the big burner for Dutch oven things, so "same rice, same pan, same burner."

Angie's Recipes said...

I like to cook brown rice with broth or tomato juice. Yours looks really fluffy and perfect. Gotta try your recipe next time. Thanks for sharing, Jean.

Margaret D said...

A fine line for fluffy rice...luckily i can usually do it.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Angie! Let me know how it works for you. I think of you as Queen of the Grains!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

That's a good way to put it, Margaret -- "a fine line."

Sue/the view from great island said...

This is such an interesting post --- and there are so many great tips --- I always avoid brown rice because of the 'gummy' factor, now I can go back to it, it's such a healthy food and I miss it!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sue, thank you! Yes, that 'gummy' factor puts a lot of people off brown rice.

Cranberry Morning said...

I usually have good luck with brown rice, but certainly have not tried putting tomato in it! I am going to give that a try. Thanks, Jean!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Judy. I hope you like it. Like I said, I use just enough to give it a certain something without making it tomato-y.

Meena said...

I am getting away from white rice to brown rice. Healthier.

Thanks for the recipe.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Meena. Yes, it's much healthier. And when you get used to brown, white rice tastes sort of blah.

Sippity Sup said...

You won't believe this but I took a cooking class just so I could master STICKY rice. Now I'll have to learn to make fluffy rice and all my rice bases covered. GREG

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Too funny, Greg! But, yes, there is a place for intentionally sticky rice -- ever so much easier to eat with chopsticks -- but I've eaten a lot more unintentionally sticky rice!

Lou Lou Girls said...

This is perfect! Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you taking the time to party with us! I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm, so we get to see your fabulous new creations. The party goes until Friday at 7 pm. Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Kimberly. Your social shares are *much* appreciated! Happy Sunday to you, too!

Richard Sheppard said...

Excellent! thanks for posting this. I recently purchased Zojirushi (expensive!) rice cooker and it does a terrific job on plain (white or brown) rice. What I didn't know is that you're not suppose to use broth in this new cooker. Darn it! Anyway, so now when I want broth flavored rice, I'll have to do it the old fashioned way. So this recipe is perfect timing!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Richard, that's great! I almost always cook my rice with broth so the Zojirushi won't work for me. Hope this recipe turns out well for you.

April J Harris said...

What a delicious way to cook brown rice. I love using my Le Creuset to cook rice too. I'm looking forward to giving your recipe a try, Jean. Thank you so much for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, April! That pot is great for making a huge batch for multiple meals.

Swathi said...

Looks delicious it is really healthy I like red par-boiled rice from my home state, I need to try your version. thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning and tweeting.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Swathi, thank you! I must go check out your Pinterest board.

Katie said...

So recent discover - my UPKer likes brown rice, who knew! Pinned this for sure because I need to know how to make ANYTHING that he will eat, thanks for sharing at Happiness is Homemade! :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Love My Mess, I know a few people, too, who have such a long list of things they won't eat that it really makes life difficult! :D

Mrs. Micawber said...

Plain brown rice can also be cooked pasta-method, in plenty of boiling water. It's much quicker (about 22-23 minutes and it's done) and comes out with lovely distinct grains. I got this technique from an old Fine Cooking article.

Thanks for visiting my blog! :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Mrs. M, I'm funny about the nutrition thing -- I wouldn't mind doing the pasta method with white rice, but with brown rice I would feel I was washing away the nutrition. Of course, I have no "proof" but it's just one of those gut feelings we go with whether it's right or not! :D If that makes any sense at all! Quicker is definitely a plus.

Anonymous said...

My husband and brother both love rice. Thanks for sharing these tips. Want to let you know I have a new blog and gmail address. Just click on my name here and it will take you there. Thx.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Mildred, thank you! I hope you and your husband and brother will like the rice as much as we do. Can't wait to check out your new blog!

Charles Moss said...

Cool recipe!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ryan!

Carole said...

Hi Jean, , hope you bring this over to Food on Friday: Rice & Grains. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Carole! I will!