Cooking and freezing 6 cups of brown rice

Nevada
Nevada Posts: 140 Member
in Recipes
Love brown rice, but not the cooking time, so I tried cooking a week's worth and freezing it. I cooked up the batch, let it cool some, and measured 1 cup each into zip-lock plastic sandwich bags, and put in the freezer.

I do not microwave, so I put the frozen lump into the frying pan along with the turkey breast or salmon, whatever. Texture not perfect, but good enough, and worth saving 20 minutes.

Next time I will flatten the bagged rice into a patty to make it heat faster.

Any suggestions to improve on the method?

Replies

  • Nevada
    Nevada Posts: 140 Member
    Love brown rice, but not the cooking time, so I tried cooking a week's worth and freezing it. I cooked up the batch, let it cool some, and measured 1 cup each into zip-lock plastic sandwich bags, and put in the freezer.

    I do not microwave, so I put the frozen lump into the frying pan along with the turkey breast or salmon, whatever. Texture not perfect, but good enough, and worth saving 20 minutes.

    Next time I will flatten the bagged rice into a patty to make it heat faster.

    Any suggestions to improve on the method?
  • JaneP
    JaneP Posts: 3 Member
    To re-heat the rice just pop the frozen ball into a pot of boiling water and stir until all broken down and the grains are seperate (less than 1 minute), strain and serve.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    I cook a week's worth of brown rice every Sunday. It keeps fine in the refrigerator for a week. I do freeze cooked mushrooms, and water chestnuts divided into portions for stir fries.

    Another helpful thing that I've done for a long time is buy garlic three bulbs at a time, wrap them in foil and roast them at 350 for 30 minutes. Then when they cool, I remove the cloves, put them in a plastic storage container and add olive oil just enough to cover. The garlic tastes just as fresh as the day you bought it - it keeps for months and never "sprouts" or tastes strong. But I use garlic in everything, so I go through it. Works the same with just one bulb - I did that for a while.

    ~cm
  • nancym
    nancym Posts: 49
    When cooking rice for freezing, I have found good results when I remove it from the stove about 10 minutes before I think it is perfectly done. Then I spread it out over a sheet pan to allow some of the heat and moisture evaporate before placing in freezer for awhile. Then I take it back out after 30-60 minutes (it is not frozen hard just yet) to break it up and freeze in individual snack bags.
    This "par" freezing allows the grains to freeze up a little and it is somewhat grainy when it comes back out for use. Not perfectly like a huge food factory could do but is better than a lump of starch. The freezing also causes "fractures" of the grain hull and this allows it to finish cooking quicker when you are ready. Heat can permeate quicker at this point.
    Good luck
    nancym
  • Nevada
    Nevada Posts: 140 Member
    Thanks, all.

    Sounds like I will have perfect rice next time.

    And I love spreadable roast garlic in place of butter.
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