What is Whole Grain Rice?
After rice is harvested, its inedible hull must be removed, resulting in a whole grain (often brown) rice kernel, ready to cook. If the rice is milled further, the bran and germ are removed, white rice is the result, with lower levels of nutrients.
Rice is often classified by size and texture. There’s long, medium and short-grain rice, with the former quite elongated and the latter nearly round. Some short-grain rices are known as “sticky” rice because of the extra amylopectin (a kind of starch) that they contain; this stickiness makes them easier to manipulate with chopsticks and perfect for sushi. Aromatic rices have a special fragrance and taste, such as Basmati, Jasmine, Texmati and Ambemohar rice.
Rice is one of the most easily digested grains – one reason rice cereal is often recommended as a baby’s first solid. This makes rice ideal for those on a restricted diet or who are gluten-intolerant.
Brown rice has much higher levels of many vitamins and minerals than white rice.
Wild rice is not technically rice at all, but the seed of an aquatic grass originally grown by Native American tribes around the Great Lakes. Today some commercial cultivation takes place in California and the Midwest, but much of the crop is still harvested by Native Americans, largely in Minnesota.
The strong flavor and high price of wild rice means that it is most often consumed in a blend with other rices or other grains. Wild rice has twice the protein and fiber of brown rice, but less iron and calcium.
Cooking common varieties of brown rice is simple.
In general, combine 1 cup uncooked brown rice with two cups liquid (such as water or broth) in a 2-3 quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Check to see if most of the water has been absorbed. If rice is not quite tender or liquid is not absorbed, replace lid and cook 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let stand ten minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Yields 3-4 cups.
Tips for perfect rice:
- Keep lid on the pot during cooking
- Don’t stir – unless you like sticky rice. Stirring releases extra starch. (That’s the reason for all that stirring when making risotto.)
- If rice (or any other grain) is sticking to the pot, add a little water, turn off the heat, and let it steam for a few extra minutes. Usually the rice will release from the pot.
Whole grain rice comes in many quick-cooking forms these days, too. These brown rice options are partially (or completely) pre-cooked, so all you have to do is warm them up for ten minutes – or even as little as 90 seconds in the microwave. So brown rice can have a place on your table even when you’re in a hurry.
Store uncooked brown rice at room temperature for up to six months, or in your refrigerator or freezer for longer periods. Cooked rice can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for several months. It’s easy to cook a big batch of brown rice, freeze it in batches sized for your household and simply warm it up at mealtime.
My favorite rice company, Lundberg.
Make a big batch of Brown Rice Stuffing and use it in any number of recipes or serve some alongside roasted chicken or pork. You can also just cook the 2 cups of rice in the stock and use the leftovers for casseroles and soup.
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, pignoli, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice or whole grain rice mix (unseasoned)
- 3 ⅓ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Toast the nuts by heating them over medium-high heat in a heavy, dry skillet or baking them in a toaster oven until golden brown. Do not allow them to burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and celery and saute over low heat until soft and just beginning to brown. Stir in the thyme, sage and rice. Add the toasted nuts. Add the stock, bring to a boil and boil for two minutes.
Lower heat, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. The rice will still be a little firm, but it will continue to cook in the recipes below. Season the mixture with parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Use to stuff vegetables, such as peppers, tomatoes, onions or cabbage.
Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4-6 (depending on size) large peppers (green, red, yellow or orange), tops cut off and cleaned out
- 1 lb hot Italian pork or turkey sausage, casing removed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, recipe above
- 1 cup prepared brown rice stuffing
- Salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, optional
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Directions
Saute sausage until browned. Add garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute for 2 minutes.
Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in rice stuffing.
Stuff mixture into the hollowed out peppers. Place in a baking dish and top the peppers with mozzarella cheese. Pour marinara sauce around the peppers, if desired. You can also heat the sauce separately and pour it over the baked peppers.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons extra‐virgin olive oil
- 1 clove organic garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup diced Portobello mushrooms
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice stuffing
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut acorn squash in half; remove seeds and place cut sides down on a greased baking pan.
Roast for 35 minutes. Cool and remove flesh the from squash halves; cube the squash flesh.
Add oil to a sauté pan over medium‐high heat. Add the cubed squash, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add cooked brown rice stuffing, butter and salt and pepper, if needed.
Mix well and stuff into empty squash halves. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes.
Brown Rice Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked (leftover, plain) brown rice
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 beaten egg
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
Combine rice, parmigiano-reggiano, oregano, salt, pepper and egg.
Form rice mixture into eight 2″ round cakes. Transfer cakes to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow them to firm up.
Put flour on a plate; dredge cakes in flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry cakes, turning once carefully so they do not break apart, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan for the second batch, if needed, and cook the second batch.
Garnish each cake with a thin slice of softened butter and sprinkle with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves.
Chicken Rice Soup
8 servings
Ingredients
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1/4 cup snipped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups chicken cubed (3/4 lb.)
- 4 cups (6 oz) baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
Directions
Combine broth, onion, celery, carrots, parsley, pepper, thyme and bay leaf in a Dutch oven or very large soup pot.
Bring to a boil; stir once or twice. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken and spinach; simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in rice and lemon juice and heat just before serving.
Related articles
- Do Rice Cookers Work On Brown Rice? (aroundthe-world.info)
- Why you should be eating more whole grains (being808.com)
Thanksgiving Day Stuffing – Or Any Day
Stuffing, also called dressing depending on where you live, is a seasoned mix of vegetables and starches and sometimes eggs that are cooked within or alongside a meat entree. Some stuffing recipes utilize other meats, such as sausage (especially popular in Italian dishes) or oysters in their mix and vegetarian stuffing is usually based on bread, rice or potatoes.
Various kinds of stuffing go as far back as the Roman Empire , where recipes appear in De re Coquinaria , a collection found within a kitchen anthology called Apicius that chronicles thousands of Roman dishes. In De re Coquinaria , chicken, rabbit, pork and dormouse stuffing are included and there are long traditions and other historical references that corroborate the wide use of stuffing in Ancient Italy.
The First Thanksgiving
Since humans were thought to be stuffing small animals long before the days of the Roman Empire, it seems natural that the pilgrims might think to stuff a turkey. However, there is no historical evidence that stuffing was served at the first Thanksgiving, but the tradition has been long standing in America.
Stuffing is not uncommon, but is not regularly utilized in most households, other than during the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey stuffing is the most widely used, and while many buy pre-packaged stuffing such as Stove Top, there are yet many varying family recipes that have endured over the years. Stove Top introduced boxed stuffing in 1972. It was home economist Ruth Siems who discovered how to manipulate bread crumbs in such a way that made reconstitution practical, and Stove Top, now owned by Kraft Foods, sells almost 60 million boxes of stuffing every Thanksgiving.
In Victorian England, “stuffing” became “dressing” and remained so in its emigration to America. Now “stuffing” and “dressing” are used interchangeably in America, although some places, especially in the Midwest, still refer to the dish as dressing. The famous cookbook, “The Joy of Cooking”, says that a mixture is considered stuffing if you cook it inside the bird, and dressing if you cook it in a pan.
Other differences are in the ingredient choices which vary according to regional locations. The base is usually a crumbled bread product such as cornbread, biscuits or bread. Most call for chopped onion and celery. Some recipes call for sauteing the onions and celery until they are tender. Another key ingredient in almost every recipe is poultry seasoning.There are recipe variations that can include sausage, walnuts, cranberries and in coastal areas, oysters.
There is a health risk involved with placing stuffing inside the turkey cavity while it is cooked. The stuffing can develop bacteria if it is not cooked to 165 degrees. The problem is that it is possible for the thigh of the turkey (where you insert the thermometer) to register an internal temperature of 180 degrees while the stuffing may not be the same temperature. If the turkey stuffing has not reached 165 degrees it must be cooked longer, which can result in the turkey being overcooked.
When it comes to the texture of stuffing, there is no right or wrong way to make it. Some people like it dry and crisp; some like it moist and dense. Soft breads produce a dense, spongy stuffing; toasted breads produce a drier stuffing because the bread crumbs can absorb more juices without becoming soggy.
To get the consistency your family prefers, follow these simple suggestions:
- For a drier stuffing, use prepackaged dry bread crumbs or cubes and limit the amount of liquid.
- For moist stuffing, add broth or juice until the mixture is just moist enough that it sticks together when pinched. But keep in mind that stuffing baked in poultry or in a tightly covered dish will not dry out as it bakes.
- For fluffier stuffing, add a beaten egg or egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters. It will allow the stuffing to bake to a lighter, more airy consistency. For food safety reasons, use an egg substitute in dressing that is stuffed into poultry.
- Ensure stuffing is done by using a meat thermometer. The temperature at the center of the stuffing inside the bird should reach 165°.
- For stuffing baked in a separate dish, either egg or egg substitute can be used. Refrigerate leftover stuffing promptly.
If you like stuffing, you don’t have to limit it to holiday dinners. It bakes up just as well on its own as an accompaniment to chicken or other meats. Simply place stuffing in a greased shallow baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 325°F. to 350°F. for 1 hour or until heated through. For a crisper crust, uncover stuffing during the final 15-20 minutes of baking.
My Family’s Favorite
Italian Bread & Sausage Stuffing
Yields about 18 cups, enough to fill a 12- to 14- pound turkey and a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Ingredients:
- 14 cups Italian bread, like ciabatta, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 loaves)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds bulk hot or sweet Italian sausage (or sausage links, casings removed)
- 2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 5 large ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1-1/2 tsp. dried)
- 1 tablespoon. dried sage
- 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cups chicken broth
Directions
Pile the bread cubes into a very large bowl and set aside.
Spray a large sauté pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon or spatula until light brown, about 5 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl of cubed bread. Wipe out the pan and add the olive oil, onions, celery, and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 min. Stir in the thyme, sage, salt, and peppers, cook 1 minute, and add the mixture to the cubed bread. Add some of the broth to the bread mixture; stir until well combined. The stuffing should just hold together when pressed together, if not add more broth.
If cooking in a turkey, put the stuffing in the bird just before roasting. Pack the stuffing loosely, leaving enough room to fit your whole extended hand into the bird’s cavity. Cook the stuffing in the bird to 160º to 165ºF, checking with an instant-read thermometer. If the bird is done before the stuffing is, take the bird out of the oven, spoon the stuffing into a casserole dish, and continue to bake it while the turkey rests.
My preferred method:
If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of broth over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Fennel, Pecan and Caramelized Apple Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Cooking spray
- 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 cups chopped onion
- 1 1/4 cups sliced fennel bulb
- 1 1/4 cups chopped carrot
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 cups chopped Golden Delicious apple
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 16 minutes or until golden, stirring after 8 minutes. Place in a large bowl. On a separate baking sheet place pecans and bake for 6-8 minutes and add to bread cubes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic). Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables to bread mixture.
Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add apples and sugar; sauté 5 minutes or until apples caramelize, stirring occasionally. Add to the bread mixture.
Combine broth and eggs in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to bread mixture; toss well to combine.
Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil. Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes. Uncover dish; bake for 20 minutes or until browned and crisp.
You can adjust oven temperature and baking time, if you are baking the stuffing alongside a turkey or you can stuff the turkey.
Wild Rice Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 2 cans (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2/3 cup wild rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 medium carrots, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups regular long-grain rice
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions:
In a 4-quart saucepan over high heat, heat chicken broth, wild rice, salt, thyme, and 1 1/2 cups water to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove carrot mixture to bowl.
In same skillet in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, cook mushrooms until golden brown and all liquid evaporates.
Stir long-grain rice, carrot mixture, and mushrooms into wild rice; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes longer or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in chopped parsley. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey or, spoon into serving bowl; keep warm.
Cherry Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 5 cups country bread cubes
- 3/4 cup dried cherries
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) or frozen (defrosted) pitted tart cherries, drained
- 1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
In a saucepan, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in thyme and poultry seasoning. In a large bowl, combine bread, dried cherries and celery mixture. Add broth and canned cherries; toss to mix.
Loosely stuff turkey just before baking. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with the olive oil.
Bake, uncovered, at 325°F. for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.
Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving the turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Yield: 10-12 servings (6 cups stuffing).
Note: The stuffing may be prepared as directed and baked separately in a greased 2-qt baking dish. Cover and bake at 325°F.for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned.
Related articles
- 9 uses for leftover corn bread (mnn.com)
- Savory Sausage Stuffing (spoonful.com)
- Sage and Sausage Stuffing (spoonful.com)
- Turkey Sausage Stuffing (spoonful.com)
- Thanksgiving: Stuffed Mini Pumpkins (2broadsabroad.wordpress.com)
- Cranberry Sauce and Stuffing: Tips for fixing Thanksgiving sides | Babble (babble.com)
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