Rice is one of those ingredients that can be incorporated into a dish (e.g., jambalaya), used as a base for a dish (e.g., Braised Chicken) or turned into its own dish (e.g., a rice salad). There are many types of rice but my two favorites are brown rice and a wild/brown rice blend (shown above). Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass, but it can be used in place of rice or in a blend.
Both brown rice and wild rice have more nutritional values than white rice; therefore, for most dishes I tend to lean toward one or the other or both. They both take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to cook depending on the method you use.
Below are two methods that I use to cook brown and wild rice. Method 1 is the traditional method of cooking rice and takes about an hour from start to finish. Method 2 is what I call the “pasta method”, and takes 45 minutes from start to finish. The texture is a different between the two methods, but, in most dishes, either method could be used.
Cooking brown and wild rice like you cook pasta (method 2) keeps the grains moving while cooking. This yields a batch of rice with separate, individual grains that is perfect for salads and fried rice dishes. It’s also good for rice bowls or stir fries as long as you plan to eat with a fork instead of chopsticks. One of my most favorite dishes for the wild rice blend is this Coconut-Lime Soup by Kelly @ Inspired Edibles. I make the rice separate and then scoop the soup over it for each serving. This is an awesome soup!
Two Methods for Cooking Wild Rice or Brown Rice
Method 1 is the traditional method for cooking brown or wild rice. This method usually takes about 1 hour. Method 2 is a faster method. It usually takes about 15 minutes off the cook time and the results are better in my opinion.
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth*
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup uncooked brown or wild rice, rinsed
- 5 cups water
- 1 tsp chicken or vegetable broth base*
- 1 cup uncooked brown or wild rice, rinsed
Bring stock and water to a boil.
Add the rice. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and pepper, then cover.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat for a gentle simmer.
Simmer for about 60 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Bring the water to a boil in a 4 quart sauce pan. Add the broth base and stir to dissolve.
- Add the rice, stir, and bring back to a low boil. Set the timer for 30 minutes.
- Keep an eye on the water to make sure it doesn’t boil over, but keep it boiling.
- Cook for 30 minutes, test for doneness. If done, drain* and enjoy.
- If not done to your taste, cook for 5 more minutes at the most. Drain.
Equipment – 4 quart sauce pan with glass lid.
Rice – I buy a wild/brown rice blend in bulk at my local co-op and I love it. It consists of several varieties of black and brown rice. Both of these cooking methods work for this blend as well as for just brown rice or wild. Method 2 does not work for white rice.
Broth – For both methods, you can use homemade broth/stock or water and a bouillon paste like Better than Bouillon.
Drained liquid – Sometimes I’ll reserve the drained liquid for other purposes. For example, if I use brown rice for Braised Orange Ginger Chicken, I’ll use some of the rice water in place of tap water. You can also freeze it and use it later in soups and stews.
From LiveScience – Brown Rice: Heath Benefits and Nutritional Facts
From Live Strong – Wild Rice Nutritional Information
Now that you have your rice made, here are some meals for which you can use the rice. Enjoy!
