No broth in rice cooker??

[Joyce]

My new rice steamer says not to use broth inside. Does anybody know why?? Do any of you successfully use broth in your rice cooker?

[greta]

joyce, i had the same question--thanks for posting.

i also have another question. my rice cooker says to put 1 cup water to 1 cup rice--i made brown rice and the rice was a quite hard. should i add more water next time?

[Joyce]

The only thing I can offer is mine says one cup of rice to one and one quarter cps. of water. You might want to try that.

[LSB]

I had the same question when I got my rice cooker. I think they mean not to use anything but water in the bottom part which does the steaming. I use broth for the liquid that actually goes in with the rice and have had no problems.

Greta - did you cook your brown rice for the same amount of time as white rice? It normally takes about twice as long to cook.

[mightyh]

I've found with my rice cooker that I need to use the rice to water ratio as posted on the rice package.... not necessarily what the rice cooker instructions say. Since I've been doing that (and not the one size fits all ratio), my rice has improved greatly. I had the same problem with brown rice as you mentioned.

The rice cooker knows how long to cook the rice for somehow....

[Joyce]

Could it be I have a different type of cooker? The only liquid that goes in is that which goes in with the rice.

[Zinnia]

Ummm.. I'm not experienced in brown rice (or whether they cook the same- Sorry!) but, I agree w/ Joyce on the 1 & 1/4 cups water to 1 cup white rice; That's the way I make mine & it's perfect EVERY time.
As far as using broth in the rice cooker-I haven't, http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif) but I think the reason not to, would be because the flavors from the broth cook into the rice pot itself and anything you cook in it after that would have a hint of the broth flavor...?
The pots in rice cookers I've seen are all porous & very absorbing...I was prob. of no help to you, lol! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[Angelina]

My rice cooker only gets the water that goes with the rice. Nothing else! It works great, but I have a small kitchen, so I usually do it the old fashioned way, on the stove. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Hmm...porous and absorbing..mine is metal..

[This message has been edited by Angelina (edited 01-15-2001).]

[Marcie]

I use broth in my rice cooker all the time. It's great. If my instruction manual told me not to, I have long forgotten that. I have the one-metal-pan-on-a-heating-element type. Zinnia's idea about the pan absorbing the stock flavor sounds plausible to me... but that sure wouldn't bother me since I only make rice for dinner in it anyway (as opposed to rice for rice pudding, etc). I sure haven't noticed any brothy remains in it.

[Joyce]

Thanks for the hints. I too have the aluminum cooker (Westbend). I used it last night and it did burn a little on the bottom. From now on I will use oil. I think I'll also try the broth. The cooker wasn't that expensive.

[Leonard]

I just recieved a "Black & Decker" Rice cooker Plus for Christmas. My Asian friend could not get me the one she has, since her's came from the Phillipines. She bought this one because it is one of the few with non-stick surface. It comes with a measuring cup. When I cook rice from an Asian store, it almost boils over!! It is also very mushy! Uncle Ben's Converted Rice cooks perfect. The only thing I don't like it with both kinds of rice, The bottom layer develops an 'undercrust" which is quite unappetizing. The manual says this is "normal" and even edible! Also, a good amount of the rice sticks to this crust! I don't know if it's more trouble than it's worth!!

[Alky]

It has been a while since I made Brown Rice in my cooker but here's what the manual says:

To cook perfect brown rice in your cooker use 2 1/2 cups of water for each cup of washed brown rice.

It did work well when I followed these instrucitons!

I also make excellent spanish rice in my cooker by first sauteing onion, pepper and rice in olive oil in a pan and then transfering to my cooker and adding enough liquid (tomato product, sauce or diced) to make the equilivant amount of required liquid and cook as normal rice in the cooker. It works great every time.

[sneezles]

I have used a rice cooker for over 20 years and don't remember what the instructions might have said about broth but I use it all the time when cooking rice. Brown rice does take more liquid so I usually double and then stir about halfway through (even though you're not suppose to have to stir but the grains on the bottom stick if I don't). My cooker has an aluminum pan that sits inside the cooker but it has never absorbed any of the broth! I also spray the bottom of the pan with oil before I pour the rice in then I remove the pan as soon as it is done or otherwise the bottom burns during the warming period.

[mlou]

Joyce, I'm guessing some people are talking about rice steamers here, in which there is just water and water for the rice. I think maybe the salt from broth might be corrosive to your surface, again just a guess. My real suggestion is to see if there is a 1-800 in the manual or a website that you could inqure on.

[luv2cook]

i have a rice cooker that steams the rice. it has a steamer feature, too. But you can use broth in that kind because it has a removable container inside. My rice cooker says not to wash the rice unless it's white but it washes away vitamins. also, it says to use the container for measuring that came with it and add an extra cup. if the rice is too dry, then you need more water...

[Joyce]

My rice cooker consists of a base with electric heating element and an removable aluminum pot which sits on the base. Water and rice go into the pot. The manual states not to use broth. I can't figure out why unless the comment about the salt corroding the pot is correct. I don't know off hand if salt affects aluminum.

[sneezles]

Mine is aluminum-always have used broth-no corrosion is showing-buy low sodium broth if that's the worry!