How to Make Fluffy Rice (without a Rice Cooker or InstaPot)

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Learning how to make your own fluffy Rice this way (without fancy gadgets) will change your life. More fluffy, fork tender, with a buttery coating is the right way to do this. With this technique you wont EVER have sticky rice again! Plus, you’ll be able to make rice anywhere you are, and perfectly every time.

Now it might take some practice but you would be surprised how easy it really is. Some may say this is silly to explain. Let me tell you—- making Rice is stinkin’ hard! It took me several times to get this technique down. Please don’t give up…it takes a minute to get it down. Once you get it, you wont regret it. You’ll be able to make perfect rice any day, anytime, anywhere!

Get ingredients ready to make Rice

Get out a medium saucepan, wooden spatula, oil, butter, salt, water, and rice.

With the strainer, rinse the rice under water. I like to put it on top of a cup so it can drain any excess water off into it (and not into my counter top).

Put the pot on the stove, and heat on medium high (at first). Add oil. I used this pot and I’ve been using it for 20 years (not kidding).

Wait until oil is hot. Then add rinsed rice.

Use wooden spatula and stir around rice until it’s all coated in oil and sautéed. I’d say once it is trying to stick to the bottom of the pan. Then add water.

~Make sure to scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan (so nothing is stuck).

~Bring water to a boil. Cover and let simmer on low for 10 minutes with a TIGHT FITTING LID.

~DON’T FORGET: scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the rice off before you cover with a lid. (This ensures you will not have a hard-to-get-off the pan rice. NO ONE wants to be scrubbing dishes. AMEN.)

~turn heat OFF after 10 minutes, then let rest in it’s spot with lid on for another 10 minutes. DON’T TOUCH IT and leave the lid on. In 10 more minutes, it will be ready to fluff and serve.

When it’s ready for the top to come off, be ready with a fork to fluff, butter to well, butter, and salt to salt it. I’m working on genius power as you can see.

And the result? Perfect, fluffy, tender, chewy, buttery and salty rice. It heals the sick, the wounded, and the hungry. But really, it’s delicious 😆.

Problems/Issues that may come up while making Rice

1. Rice is wet and goopy (soft and sticky): it did not cook long enough. You also may have put too much water in it. Make sure you are using a liquid measuring cup.
2. Rice is burned. This can happen in the beginning if you sauté it too long. It can also happen when the heat is not fully on LOW or is on LOW too long. Save the good rice, and turn the pot off the heat sooner. 10 minutes on low is really an average depending on how hot your stove gets or if you are using different rice. Recognize the LIMITS it will go and not go.
3. Rice is mushy. This kinda goes with #1 but really one of the main problems that can come up. Most likely it did not rest (off the heat) long enough. The steam that is trapped inside is vital to its fluffiness.

Making Rice for many people (company).

I have tried many times to make gobs of rice for when company comes over. It’s always good but not as good as the small batches (2 cup rice portions). The key is to stay working in small batches. But if you have to…

I would recommend no more than 6 cups of raw rice in a 7 quart pot. It would make up to 24 cups. That conversion of the recipe would triple it. Which would be 6 cups rice, 9 cups water (or broth), 6 tbsp oil, butter and sea salt to your liking. Make sure to bring to a boil then cover with lid for 15 minutes, then rest for 15 minutes. (So a little longer as well.)

Freezing Rice

Yes! It does freeze well! Make sure to have a tight fitting lid and don’t store longer than 3 months. Or in the REFRIGERATOR for 3-4 days. Reuse it. There are 1 billion things you can do with it!

Reheating Rice

In the airtight container you froze it in, defrost on the counter 12 hours or 24 in the refrigerator. You can use the microwave to defrost, but it could risk getting very soft.

Once it is defrosted. Put in the microwave with a paper towel over the top and cook in 30 second increments, fluffing it around and covering with a paper towel. Keep cooking for 30 seconds until it is all cooked and fluffy again. Use fork to fluff.

Leftover Rice

Ok, this is the best topic! There are so many things you can do with cooked rice.

• chicken and rice (me and my mom’s favorite)
• rice pilaf
• stuffed Bell Peppers
• stuffed squash
• my Thai Butternut Squash Soup (slip some on the side—oh girl!)
• carne asada or any Mexican dish
• Or with my famous Tuscan Chicken
• Fish on a bed of rice
• burritos
• really, it goes with everything on Earth. Amen.

Types of Rice (or versions)

So now that you know how to make rice, you can do just about anything with it! Like these:

• Spanish rice
• cilantro lime rice
• yellow rice (or turmeric rice—so good for you!)
• Curried rice (ok yum!)
• coconut rice
• pinapple rice
• fried rice

Well now I’ll have to post some of my favorite rices. 😁

We are rice people! Where are my all my rice people at?

Love y’all forever!

Farmer Franny Pants

The Rice Recipe

For you, John. Love you so so much son 💗.