How To Cook The Best Brown Rice

The selection of the right brown rice plays an important part in the taste. You can find mainly 3 types of brown rice based on the size of the grains. Which one to use depends fully on what kinds of rice you want. So let’s get started: 

Long-grain

It is a good fit for dishes such as biryanis, pilau, and fried rice. Because it gives thin and separate grains. Long-grain brown rice gives an appealing smell when cooked. 

Medium-grain

You can choose this grain if rice pudding, sushi, or risotto are the dishes you plan to make. This grain gives a sticky and a bit mushy texture which is required in those dishes. 

Short-grain

This japonica brown rice also has a sticky texture just like medium-grain. It’s a multipurpose grain and goes well in sushi, kimbap, and rice pudding as well as to prepare porridge, veg soups, etc. 

Note: All of those grains can be used to make normal steamed brown rice, so the choice is yours. 

The brown rice recipe is simple. It doesn’t even demand any extravagant tools or ingredients. You just need to have a main cooking dish and then the rice will be ready.

Explore each of the 4 methods and follow any method to cook your brown rice: 

1. Stovetop Method

The most common method one can use to make brown rice. All it needs is a pot to cook rice in it. Let’s learn how to make rice on the stove: 

Brown Rice Ingredients and Tools

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups of water
• A pot

Instructions

• Begin by rinsing the rice (take the desired amount but measure with a cup). Use a bowl or directly wash the rice in a pot. You may need to wash the rice at least 2-3 times. Then after, the water will turn clear.
• Add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of brown rice when done rinsing. Adjust the water ratio as you add on more cups of rice.
• Cover the pot with its lid. Then allow it to sit on the stove. The water will begin to boil after some minutes. 
• Keep the heat at a low flame and let the rice cook for 40-45 minutes. As the rice starts to get hot, the steam within it helps the rice to cook faster.
• Turn off the stove, place away the stockpot, and let it cool down for 10 more minutes. Ensure that the lid is still on until the rice gets cooled down. 
• Lastly, remove the lid and use a fork to fluff the rice then serve. 

2. Rice Cooker Method

The rice cooker is literally a savior for us. We just need to ready the rice and put it inside the appliance. It will do the rest of things. So, let’s learn how to cook rice in a rice cooker: 

Brown Rice Ingredients and Tools

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups of water
• A well-functioning rice cooker

Instructions

• First, start rinsing the rice with cold water properly.
• Second, pour rinsed rice and water into the rice cooker. To measure, you can add 2 cups of water or use a finger to measure the water. Place the fingers on the rice level and if water reaches the middle knuckles of your middle finger, then know this is the right amount of water to use. 
• Third, cover the rice cooker with its lid and set the cooker to the "cook setting". Most rice cookers come with this setting but If your cooker doesn't have such a setting then let the cooker use its standard setting.
• Fourth, the cooker switches to "warm" once cooked well. Then let the rice sit in the warm setting for about 7-10 minutes. The lid should be still on so, don’t try to temper with it. 
• Lastly, open the cooker's lid and proceed to fluff the rice using a spatula. Now you can serve the rice on a plate and enjoy with your favorite curry. 

3. Instant Pot Method

This method is ideal for those who own an instant pot at home. The process is simple. So, let’s learn how to cook rice in an instant pot: 

Brown Rice Ingredients and Tools

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 2 cups of water
• An instant pot

Instructions

• Start to rinse the rice under cold water. And do this until the rice water turns clear. 
• Add the rinsed rice and water to the instant pot. Pour 2 cups of water into the pot and cover the lid properly.
• Third, select the "rice" or "manual" setting and set the timer for 20 minutes. Because the setting might be different in each instant pot. 
• Fourth, when cooked, allow the rice to rest for 8-10 minutes. That way the pressure releases automatically. 
• Finally, open the lid. Use a spatula and fluff the rice before serving. Fluffing separates the grains and makes rice more pleasing. 

4. Microwave Method

This is not really a usual method but yeah you can use a microwave as well to cook brown rice. So, let’s know how to cook rice in the microwave:  

Brown Rice Ingredients and Tools

• 1 cup of brown rice
  2 cups of water
• A well-functioning microwave

Instructions

• The first is to rinse. So, wash the rice properly under cold water and continue to do it until the water comes to its transparent hue.
• Second, transfer the rinsed rice to a microwave-safe bowl. Move towards adding 2 cups of water for each cup of brown rice. 
• Third, cover that bowl with aluminum foil or any microwave-safe wrapper. While covering, leave a certain space or loosely cover the bowl. This allows the steam to flow and the rice cooks evenly. 
• Fourth, place the bowl in the microwave. Cook the rice on high heat for 10 minutes. 
• Once that passes, lower the power to medium heat and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. 
• Lastly, when cooked, leave the rice to rest with cover on for about 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes, you can move towards the serving process. 

Brown rice takes longer time to cook as compared to that with white rice. Because brown rice has more layers and water needs time to get into those layers one by one. 

If you are someone to try out the brown rice recipe at home and don't know how long to cook, then stay with us. Here are the lists of times to cook brown rice (1 cup) for each method:

Stovetop method: 

• Cooking: 45-50 minutes
• Rest: 7-10 minutes

Rice cooker method:

• Cooking: 45-55 minutes
• Rest: 7-10 minutes

Instant pot method:

• Cooking: 20-30 minutes
• Rest: 7-10 minutes

Microwave method: 

• Cooking: 25-35 minutes
• Rest: 7-10 minutes

Brown rice is a bit more tricky than to cook white rice. So, one can make some mistakes while making it. Here are common mistakes that can occur while cooking brown rice at home: 

1. Avoid Rinsing the Rice

Some prefer not to rinse the rice to retain the nutrients as it is. Skipping the rinse part means cooking the rice with full starch, as a result rice becomes sticky and mushy. So, rinse the grains properly and make the rice fluffy. 

2. Inaccurate Water Measurement

We usually assume that the water required for brown rice is the same as for white rice and this is not correct. Brown rice has more layers than white rice. So, it demands more water to cook properly.

Not using enough water leads the rice to be tough. One should use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice for best results. As the cups of rice increase, raise the cups of water proportionately. 

3. Cooking at too High Temperature

Setting the temperature or gas flames at high causes the water to drain without softening the brown rice, leading to unevenly cooked rice grains or undercooked.

To avoid this issue, lower the heat or temperature when water comes to a boil. This will allow the rice to cook slowly. 

4. Removing the Lid Frequently

We tend to lift the lid time and again to check for doneness. This causes the steam to escape distorting the inner temperature and making the rice undercooked.

To deal with this, know the right time to cook and let the rice cook for that whole time. You should trust the timing as it never goes wrong. 

5. Skipping the Rest Time

After rice is cooked, we tend to skip the resting phase and move to the serving process immediately. This causes the rice to be sticky or mushy.

So, when you let it rest for 10 minutes, it will allow the rice to absorb moisture within and make it fluffy.

You can store excess cooked rice in the refrigerator. That way rice stays fresh. Here are some ways to correctly store brown rice:

• Cool the rice. let the rice cool down for more than 30 minutes or more if needed. You can transfer and spread the rice onto a large plate for faster cooling. 
• Get an airtight container and transfer the rice into it. Make sure there is no airflow inside the container. Because this prevents rice from drying out and any contamination.
• Place the container in the refrigerator, then set the temperature at 40°F (4°C) or lower. This way the rice lasts for up to 4-6 days. 
• In case you plan to store the rice for a long period, use the freezer to store it. The rice goes for up to 6 months. Make sure the temperature is set at 0°F (-18°C). Use the same airtight container process here. 

This way you can store cooked brown rice from 4 days to 6 months by following a proper sealing process. The stored rice can be enjoyed by reheating it thoroughly. You can add a small amount of water or broth while reheating. The rice won’t be dry.  

Brown rice is nutritious but the taste is not that noticeable. It just has a plain soft texture. Why not make it a bit more flavorful? Here are some ideas: 

• Add Broth: Instead of water, use broth (veg or non-veg) to cook the rice or mix in both water and broth with equal ratio. That way you can enjoy meaty flavored rice. 
• Sprinkle Aromatics: A refreshing fragrance is what you get by sprinkling some chopped fresh or dried aromatics. 
• Include Seasonings: Seasonings like ginger, garlic powder, or soy sauce indeed bring magic to the rice. You can use other seasonings based on your preference. 
• Toast Grains: Using butter or oil to toast the rice before adding water to it actually helps to make the rice build better flavors. 

There are various brown rice recipes that one try out for better flavors. From veg to non-veg, find suitable recipes and make your plain rice an interesting one. Here are they: 

• Curries: A perfect match-making pair for brown rice is curry. The liquidy, thick, and salty flavor of curry enriches the softness of brown rice. 
• Fried Vegetables: Fried vegetables like carrots, broccoli, peas, and potatoes make an ideal base for brown rice. You can customize the flavors by adding veggies you like. 
• Grilled or Roasted Meat: One of the deadliest and most delightful pairings of brown rice is with meat. The crispy and smokey-flavored meat makes the plain brown rice more flavorful.
• Beans: Beans has its variations such as black beans, red or brown beans. Based on your preference, you can prepare a bowl of bean soups lentils, or gravy and enjoy it with brown rice.
• Soups and Stews: Another ideal pairing of brown rice that goes well with soups and stews. The liquid form of soups and stews is amazingly absorbed by brown rice when mixed. This mixture brings out many flavors on a plate. 

Do I Need To Rinse The Rice Before Cooking?

The answer depends. You need to wash the rice when making it for a plain rice recipe. Because washing rice removes unwanted starch. As a result, the grains don’t get sticky but rather stay separated. 

You can skip the rinsing thing if the goal is to make sticky rice. This kind of rice is ideal for rice pudding, sushi, and porridge. Despite all, if you still prefer to have sticky ones, choose not to rinse the rice. 

Do I Have to Soak Brown Rice Before Cooking?

I wouldn’t say you have to soak. But doing it surely has some benefits. First, the rice gets cooked more quickly than when not soaked. Second, it extracts excess starch and makes rice more fluffy and evenly cooked. 

To soak the brown rice: Simply leave the rice and water to sit for 30 to 90 minutes. In case of a short in time, at least soak for 15 minutes. 

Is Brown Rice Healthy?

Yes! Brown rice is healthier than white rice. This whole-grain rice gives a good supply of fiber, iron, vitamin B, and other essential nutrients. These help with balancing blood sugar levels and weight control. Besides these two, there are a lot of health benefits of using brown rice on a daily diet. 

Do I Need To Use Oil or Butter When Cooking Rice?

Using oil or butter helps to make rice more softer and tastier. The moisturizing content in oil or butter does wonders for rice. So it’s up to you. 

Can I Use This Method To Make White Rice?

Yes definitely! The rice cooking method is normally the same everywhere. The only difference you could find in the measurement of water. Brown rice needs slightly more water than white rice. This is mainly due to the extra layers in brown rice.