U.S.-grown rice is a high-quality product that does not require washing or rinsing before or after cooking. Most U.S. white rice is enriched with iron, niacin, thiamin, and folic acid. Rinsing rice, or cooking rice in excess water and draining, results in loss of enrichment and other water-soluble vitamins and minerals.
For best cooking results, follow package directions. When directions are not available, use one of the easy methods below.
Combine rice, liquid, salt, and butter or margarine (see Rice Cooking Chart) in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling; stir once or twice. Reduce heat to low; cover tightly and simmer (see cook times below). Remove carefully and fluff with a fork. If rice is not quite tender or liquid is not absorbed, replace lid and cook two to four minutes longer.
Cooking rice in the oven is an efficient use of energy when other foods are baking, and it frees up your stovetop when cooking other dishes. Boiling liquid must be used to start the cooking process. Carefully combine rice, boiling liquid, salt, and butter or margarine (see Rice Cooking Chart) in a baking dish or pan; stir. Cover tightly and bake at 350°F (see cook times below). Remove from oven carefully and fluff with a fork.
Rice cookers make cooking both white and brown rice easy and foolproof, and they keep rice warm after cooking. When using a rice cooker, be sure to follow individual manufacturers’ directions. Generally, all ingredients are combined in the rice cooker. Turn the rice cooker on and indicate if the rice is white or whole grain. It will stop cooking automatically by sensing a rise in temperature and change in moisture content that occurs when rice has absorbed the liquid and is fully cooked.
Microwave ovens vary in size and wattage. The following cooking times are based on preparation in 1200-watt ovens. For best results, follow manufacturer directions for your oven. When directions are not available you may follow these general guidelines: Combine rice, liquid, salt, and butter or margarine (see chart) in 2½- to 3-quart deep microwave-safe baking dish; cover tightly.
Regardless of which cooking method is chosen, the proportion of liquid to rice and the cooking time are key to preparing perfectly cooked rice. The general "rule of thumb" is 2 to 1 (2 parts liquid to 1 part rice by volume). However, it is important to note that different types of rice may require slightly less or slightly more liquid.
| Rice Type | Parts Liquid to 1 Part Rice (by volume) | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|
| White, long grain | 2 | 15 to 18 minutes |
| White, medium grain | 1 ½ | 15 to 18 minutes |
| White, short grain | 1 ¼ | 15 to 18 minutes |
| Brown, medium or long grain | 2 ¼ | 40 to 45 minutes |
| Parboiled | 2 ¼ | 20 minutes |
| Parboiled, brown | 2 ¼ | 25 minutes |
| U.S. jasmine, white | 2 | 15 to 18 minutes |
| U.S. basmati, white | 2 | 15 to 18 minutes |
| U.S. arborio | 4 | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Wild Rice | 3 | 40 to 50 minutes |
Considering the 2:1 ratio, dry rice typically triples in volume when cooked.
Dry rice more than doubles in weight during cooking:
When working with rice it is usually easier to measure the ingredients and calculate portions by volume. For costing purposes and writing recipes, it is helpful to know the correlation between volume and weight measures for rice:
