Cooking Brown Rice
 

As a good Cajun girl, I can make the best white rice you've ever had. I am failing with brown rice. It's crunchy! Yuck! I've used the measurements on the back of the rice bag in my rice pot. I've also upped the water. Tonight's rice cooked for about 1.5 hours. We finally just ate it. Is brown rice supposed to be crunchy?

A little oriental man told me to cook it in a crock pot overnight. You know about that?

Chelby, there's a thread in the FAQ's about the perfect way to cook brown rice. I'll try to find it for you.

Here it is

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92096

Thanks, Cottage. I'll try that next time.

I do mine just like white rice in the rice cooker, although I add more water and sometimes it takes a bit longer than the usual cycle. Never that long, though. Usually 20 minutes or so.

It has a rougher texture but it's not crunchy. Do you have a TJs near you? They have a great frozen brown rice that you just heat in the microwave.

birds eye also has frozen brown rice, Chel. I know you don't have a TJ's. I get it on sale for $1 a bag sometimes.

Oriental man? You meant Asian, right?

Anyway, forget the instructions. The stuff either comes out super lumpy/stick or just crusty.

We Spanish folks have rice down to a science, but it isn't done with measuring cups or whatever.

The trick is in the heat.

Two parts water and one part rice. I use an empty can, believe it or not.

You have to make a sofrito in the pot first or else it will taste like chalk. Olive oil, minced garlice, chopped onions, diced peppers. Let it all sautee and then add the water, again... two parts water (or broth) and one part rice.

Bring it to a major boil and DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER. This is where it gets messed up. Once you HEAR it boiling, turn the heat to the lowest point ou can (hopefully you have a gas stove), and then, halfway through, uncover the pot and fold the rice once. That's the trick! Trust me.

Cover it again and let it finish simmering.

It will separate with fork, it will be extremey flavorful, and it won't be "crunchy" as you call it, although in some parts of Latin America, that crunchiness is a delicacy because we have a hard time "burning" it.

Moisture cooks the rice. Heat creates the steam.

Low heat. Enough water. Slam dunk!

A disclaimer: The man who told me about the crockpot rice was Asian/Oriental. I meant no disrespect, I promise!

Mom/Zeff -- I've seen the frozen rice, but haven't used it. I'm usually cooking for 5 people (hubby's parents live next door) and the frozen rice is 2 servings.

Diva -- I'll try making the rice on the stove. Sofrito mixed in sounds great! I agree about the 'burned' part at the bottom of the pot being delicious. What I made, every individual rice was crunchy.

Chelby,

Then you have a giant pot of delicacy. LOL

But you're right.... you want some normal rice, too.

You're a good daughter-in-law. I'm sure your hubby knows it!