My long grain brown rice is sticky

[Elaine]

Why?

 

Would I yield a better result if I bought a rice cooker instead of using the LeCreuset?

 

Any tips?

[Dobela]

What type of brown rice is it? Different types have different textures once cooked.

[Laura Corin]

I use a rice cooker and put in two cups of water for each cup of brown rice. It comes out nice and fluffy. Oh: remember to rinse the rice before cooking - I was told it makes it less sticky, although I don't know for sure, as I've never cooked it without rinsing.

 

Laura

[abbeyej]

Are you using too much water? I find I need to use less than recipes sometimes say, and cook at fairly low heat. I'll bring to a low boil, then turn the temp *way* down (with the lid on). If you're using a heavy Le Creuset type pot, it will really hold the heat, so you want to be aware of only just getting it to a boil, then turning it far down.

 

Also, one thing you can do is sauté the dry rice in a wee bit of olive oil before you add the water and begin to cook. You want to do it over medium heat with enough oil to coat each grain individually (it doesn't take a lot though). Keep stirring for a few minutes, then add the water and cook as usual.

[Orthodox6]

Sure that it is long grain, rather than short ?

 

Do you cook your rice with a lot of oil or butter? (which will make it "seem" sticky)

 

Were you cooking the rice in an oily broth?

 

I also use more water than 2:1, as posted. Brown rice needs a bit more water than converted or white rice do.

[Elaine]

It's Goya rice.

 

I am cooking it according to the directions, which is 1c rice to 2 1/2 c water. It seemed to me like I should be using a 1:2 ratio but having never cooked long grain rice before, I followed the package. I will use less water next time.

 

I don't use butter or olive oil, but I really like the idea of the olive oil so I will give that a whirl for tomorrow night's dinner.

 

Thank-you.:001_smile:

[Classical Katharine]

. . . stirring makes it stickier.

[Blueridge]

I'll put in my vote for rice cookers! I have a Zojirushi that I got at tax time, and the thing is just amazing. I use it all the time. It even has a Gaba Brown cycle that uses more water and cooks for several hours. It is supposed to be the most nutritious method for cooking brown rice, and it produces a light, fluffy, sweet, thoroughly perfect pot of rice. Just last night I made a big pot of brown rice and put it in the fridge. This morning I put some in a bowl and added sliced almonds, coconut milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and craisins. Popped it in the microwave for a minute and ate. Yum! Regardless of the type of rice you use, the whole process takes about a minute to get started, and then you don't have to stand over your pot watching for boil-overs or scorching the pot. I love, love, love it.

[LaxMom]

It's Goya rice.

 

I am cooking it according to the directions, which is 1c rice to 2 1/2 c water. It seemed to me like I should be using a 1:2 ratio but having never cooked long grain rice before, I followed the package. I will use less water next time.

 

I don't use butter or olive oil, but I really like the idea of the olive oil so I will give that a whirl for tomorrow night's dinner.

 

Thank-you.:001_smile:

 

WOW! That's a lot of water. I use long-grain brown jasmine rice and around 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water per cup of rice - a little more if I put dried lentils in it. (I believe Alton Brown has a formula for decreasing the water:rice ratio as you up the servings - you double the rice, but not the water because some of the water is just steam loss and that's the same for 1 cup or 2 cups of rice, you know?)

[Dobela]

You can also slightly saute the rice in the oil before adding water. I do that when making Spanish rice. I just do it a minute or 2 and it cooks the outside of the rice a bit making it harder. When you add the water, the rice doesn't get as soft or sticky. It only takes a tbsp of oil for me.

 

eta: You can also reduce the cooking time as well. Just watch it carefully and aste occassionally to see if the texture you like is where it is. I often undercook some rices because we like it with a bit of bite.