Whole Grains: Easy Brown and Wild Rice in Single Servings

HeidiCooksSupper

Whole grains are important to our diets but brown rice takes annoyingly long to cook. How to overcome this problem? Cook it in the oven in large amounts and freeze in single servings.



Alton Brown's oven method of making brown rice means you don't need to watch it. No more worrying about it boiling over, scorching, etc. Brown rice is very inexpensive in the grocery store. Wild rice is not inexpensive but is less so ordered in larger quantities online. I pay $24.11 ($0.50/ounce) for 48 oz. of pure wild rice at a time from Amazon. Many of the brown and wild rice mixtures are that much at the supermarket whereas brown rice itself is only about $0.20/ounce.

The recipe is very forgiving. Put 2 1/2 cups of brown (and optionally wild) rice and an (optional) teaspoon of salt in a 10" x 15" oven-proof baking dish. Pour in 5 cups of very hot water and stir to distribute the rice in an even layer. Cover tightly with foil and put in a 375F oven. After about 1 hour, check to see if the rice is done. Mine often needs some extra time. The oven temperature used can vary from about 275F to 400F but you should adjust the time accordingly. You may also start with cold water but the rice then takes a great deal more time and doesn't cook as evenly. Let the rice cool. Divide into convenient sized portions, and freeze. Half-cup portions are easy to incorporate in future meals. This recipe makes about 15 half-cup servings.

Alton Brown's recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe/index.html

carlapendergrass

Or, you can just cook it in a rice cooker.

fabulara

Fine post! Thanks!