Perfectly Fluffy Brown Rice

cooked brown rice in a wooden bowl with steam coming from top

Servings 4 cups of cooked rice

Ingredients

1 cup of uncooked whole LONG grain brown rice not instant, not quick cooking
12 cups water

Instructions

Bring 12 cups of water to boil in a large pot.
Meanwhile rinse the rice in a strainer for about a minute. When water is boiling, add rice to pot and stir once to insure grains are separate and not stuck together.
Boil for 30 minutes or until desired tenderness, uncovered.
Drain the rice in a strainer for about 10 seconds, then return to the pot, off the heat.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and let sit for 10 minutes. The rice will steam during this time.
When the 10 minutes is up, remove the lid, fluff with a fork and serve.

Recipe Notes

*I have used up to 2 cups of uncooked rice in the 12 cups of water. Just remember, if you cook 2 cups of uncooked rice, you need a strainer large enough to handle straining 8 cups of cooked rice.

*Store rice covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. To reheat, sprinkle a spoonful or so of water over rice, cover and reheat in microwave. The bit of added water will help create steam in the reheating process. Use your judgment on how much you need. If you've reheated and your rice seems a bit dry, add a bit more water and heat long enough to create some steam.

* For longer storage, place cooled rice in a zipped freezer bag, pressing the rice flat and removing all the air. Freeze up to 3 months. I don't like to reheat in plastic, so I usually just heat the bag briefly in the microwave until I can break it up. I then transfer the rice to a bowl, sprinkle with a spoonful of water, cover and reheat in the microwave. It comes out hot, steamy and fluffy as if you've just made it.

Recipe Source Saveur 2008