Brown Rice: Tips Wanted

I need some help, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Last summer our family switched from regular white rice to brown rice. If you've ever cooked brown rice, you know that its not the same as the white stuff; its takes much longer to cook and requires more water. The first time I made it, I didn't know this and the end product was so crunchy it wasn't edible. Now, please note that I DO have a rice cooker and I ALWAYS use it. It indicates different water levels for different types of rice and I'm always careful to make sure I use the correct amount. Then the cooker works its magic and turns off when the water is gone and the rice is supposed to be just perfect. After my first failure with brown rice, I decided I needed to use more water so I increased the amount by 50%. I make rice quite regularly and sometimes it turns out really good and other times it doesn't. I do it the same way every time. Why won't it work every time? Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

P.S. Please don't suggest that I switch to Minute Rice. Thats not an option, since I don't, nor do I plan to have it in my food storage.

Comments

Kristi Drennan said…
Yeah I have the same issue and I wonder if it's the darn rice cooker on my end! I usually just do what you do and add extra water. I once heard to rinse the rice of like 4 or 5 times too...not sure why that helps though. Yeah let me know if you figure it out because I find I won't cook rice because of that...and have cooked white which we're a non-white rice/pasta/bread family.
Friday, January 30, 2009 3:23:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I always find it hit or miss with my rice. I do keep a box of brown minute for rice mishaps. like Kristi, let us know what you come up with.
Friday, January 30, 2009 6:57:00 PM
Stacey Irwin said…
I hate minute rice. I too have a rice cooker. I have this problem occasionally. I haven't tried brown rice. ( well I have and I thought it was so wierd. I didn't go back for second chance.) You may want to try & let it "rest" for about 10 min. I turn off my cooker as soon as it dings.( I really hate scraping out burned on rice. and that has solved that problem.) but leave the lid on and let it rest. it just might need an extra few. ( how many cups do you cook at once.. that might affect it?)
If that doesn't work. add more water or buy a new rice cooker.
Good luck.
Friday, January 30, 2009 7:24:00 PM
Liz said…
So I did some research for you and this is what I found. Hope it helps. They all kind of say the same thing.

Oh, and for the record, I hate Minute Rice as well. I love Japanese sticky rice.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/436674

http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Rice-in-a-Rice-Cooker

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-cook-brown-rice-in-a-rice-cooker-225164/

http://www.ehow.com/how_4609434_nostick-brown-rice-rice-cooker.html

http://www.fatfree.com/archive/1997/apr/msg00147.html
Friday, January 30, 2009 7:41:00 PM
Melissa Hernandez said…
I had a great suggestion, up until I read your P.s. don't tell me instant rice. That's all I buy is the Great Value Minute Brown Rice, cooks in 5 minutes, and never fails. I totally screwed up the real stuff every time, it's impossible!!!! If you find a trick, let the rest of us know!
Friday, January 30, 2009 10:34:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I usually just add a little bit of extra water in the rice cooker...however it doesn't always turn out well either. Let us know if you find a trip!
Saturday, January 31, 2009 12:40:00 PM
Christy Jones said…
I grew up eating brown rice and often would help my mother prepare it. It helps to soak the rice overnight in a container. I like to soak it in chicken stock to give it a better flavor. When using your rice cooker always double to water to rice ratio. Plan to have lots of time for it to steam when its finished cooking. The longer it steams the better. I ususally make a large batch and keep it in the fridge for other meals because it take some time to have good brown rice.
Hope this helps.
Saturday, January 31, 2009 12:49:00 PM
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