How do I cook Brown Rice????

[suziking]

Help!!!! I can't for the life of me cook yummi brown rice. I cook it according to the directions of the package - a cup of brown rice to 2 cups of water. It turns out crunchy. I have tried more water and it helps - but I want a foolproof way to cook it. I even burned it once! Yikes!

I have tried it in my rice cooker too and it is crunchy - even if I double the water!

Help~~~ I am at 1 mile above sea level if that makes any difference...

Suzi

[funnybone]

Brown rice will always be crunchy and chewy - it's the nature of it. Here is some information from Cook's Thesaurus

brown rice = whole grain rice Notes: Many rice varieties come as either brown rice or white rice. Brown rice isn't milled as much as white, so it retains the bran and germ. That makes brown rice more fiber-rich, nutritious, and chewy. Unfortunately, it doesn't perform as well as white rice in many recipes. Long grains of brown rice aren't as fluffy and tender, and short grains aren't as sticky. Brown rice also takes about twice as long to cook and has a much shorter shelf life (because of the oil in the germ). Keep it in a cool, dark place for not more than three months. Refrigeration can extend shelf life. Substitutes: converted rice (less chewy, takes less time to cook) OR wild pecan rice OR white rice (Enriched white rich has less fiber, but many of the same nutrients.)

[chefbec]

Suziking, I've been cooking brown rice for many years and it always turns out great. When I use short grain, I cook 1 cup rice in 2 cups water. When I use long grain, I cook 1 cup rice in 1-1/2 cups water. I rinse the rice well, bring the water to a boil, add the rice, then simmer for 40-50 minutes. I don't lift the lid at all. Perhaps it's the type of pot you're using? I find that inexpensive non-stick cookware sometimes takes a little longer. I use Pampered Chef Professional Cookware (which is a higher quality non-stick), but any really good non-stick should work as well and never burn. It's perfect every time. With regular cookware, it should also work (but you may have to soak the pot!) Good luck! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[cchhbb]

I have found a little trick. I place a folded up paper towel between the lid and pot when cooking rice. It helps to make the rice fluffy. I saw it on the food channel. Sometimes, you do need to replace the paper towel during the cooking process.

[Peeps]

I tried cooking brown rice for the first time last week using the garlicky brown rice recipe posted by Makedah on this thread: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/006726.html
I halved it and skipped the green onions since I didn't have any on hand and it came out great, not the least bit crunchy, it was almost even creamy.

[Darlin]

I use 1 cup brown rice and 2 cups water. Bring it to gentle boil and don't cover the pan. When the water is nearly gone, turn the heat way down and put the lid on and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. It is always cooked well this way.

[Kristine]

We love brown rice! Here's how I cook it: 2 parts water to one part rice. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook for approximately 45 minutes...it always turns out great!

[suziking]

Thanks for all your information. I think that maybe the low on my gas stove is not low enough. I think the paper towel method might work too.

Is anyone at high altitudes? I ask because I noticed that on the back of Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice mix they tell people at high altitudes to add more water and to increase the cooknig times. I wonder if this might be my problem too!

Thanks for all your help! I am determined to make brown rice that isn't crunchy!

Suzi