Recipe: How to Cook Whole Grains - Cooking Times, Ratios, Chart and Recipes

HOW TO COOK WHOLE GRAINS


Cooking most grains is very similar to cooking rice. You put the dry grain in a pan with water or broth, bring it to a boil, then simmer until the liquid is absorbed.

Measure grain and water or broth according to the ratio on Basic Cooking Chart below (for example, for brown rice use 2 1/2 cups liquid for each cup of grain). Place both in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender. Check for tenderness after shortest amount of time on chart. Grains can vary in cooking time depending on the age of the grain, the variety, and the pans you're using to cook. When you decide they're tender and tasty, they're done. If the grains are not as soft as you like them, cover and continue to cook another 5 to 10 minutes, adding more liquid if needed. If the grains are tender, remove from heat and drain any water that remains.

Cooked, cooled grains can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to three months in your freezer and take just minutes to warm up with a little added water or broth.

You can also use leftovers for cold grain salads (just toss with chopped veggies, dressing, etc.), or toss a few handfuls into some canned soup.

HOW TO COOK GRAINS IN A RICE COOKER

The rice cooker intuitively cooks until all the water has been completely absorbed by your grain, and then it switches itself over to its "warming" setting to keep your dish warm until you serve. Because of the machine s tight seal, rice cookers lose less liquid to evaporation, so using a slightly smaller amount of water, rather than more, is always a better idea. WGC Culinary Advisor Robin Asbell suggests: "Use the white rice setting for grains that take 25 minutes or less, like buckwheat or millet, and the brown rice setting for larger grains that require longer cooking. Experiment, and you ll know what works for your favorites in no time."

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BASIC COOKING CHART FOR WHOLE GRAINS
*Slow-cooking grains should be soaked overnight prior to cooking.

GRAIN AND LIQUID:GRAIN RATIO
(for example, 2:1 = 2 parts liquid to 1 part grain)

Amaranth: 2:1
Cooking time: 20 25 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 2 1/2 cups cooked)

Barley, hulled: 3:1
Cooking time: 45 60 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 1/2 cups cooked)

Brown rice: 2.5:1
Cooking time: 25 45 minutes (shorter if presoaked)
(1 cup uncooked = about 3-4 cups cooked)

Buckwheat groats or Kasha (toasted): 2:1
Cooking time: untoasted 20-30 minutes, toasted 15-20
(1 cup uncooked = about 4 cups cooked)

Bulgur, Cracked Wheat: 2:1
Cooking time: 10 15 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Farro*: 3:1
Cooking time: 30 45 minutes (after presoaking)
(1 cup uncooked = about 2 cups cooked)

Kamut* grain: 4:1
Cooking time: 30 40 minutes (after presoaking)
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Oat groats: 2:1
Cooking time: 45-60 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 4 cups cooked)

Oats, steel-cut: 4:1
Cooking time: 20 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3-4 cups cooked)

Millet, hulled: 2.5:1
Cooking time: 25 35 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 4 cups cooked)

Quinoa: 2:1
Cooking time: 12 15 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3+ cups cooked)

Rye berries: 4:1
Cooking time: 45 60 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Sorghum grain (dehulled)*: 4:1
Cooking time: 25 40 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Spelt berries*: 3:1
Cooking time: 45 60 minutes (after presoaking)
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Triticale berries*: 3:1
Cooking time: 45 60 minutes (after presoaking)
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Wheat berries*: 4:1
Cooking time: 45 60 minutes (after presoaking)
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 cups cooked)

Wild rice: 3:1
Cooking time: 45 55 minutes
(1 cup uncooked = about 3 1/2 cups cooked)

Adapted from source: Whole Grains Council
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org

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RECIPES USING WHOLE GRAINS

Recipes Using Barley

Recipes Using Brown Rice

Recipes Using Buckwheat or Buckwheat Flour

Recipes Using Bulgur

Recipes Using Corn Meal

Recipes Using Millet

Recipes Using Oats

Recipes Using Popcorn

Recipes Using Quinoa

Recipes Using Rye Flour

Recipes Using Spelt

Recipes Using Wheat Berries

Recipes Using Whole Wheat Flour

Recipes Using Wild Rice

Polenta Recipes

Recipes Using the words: WHOLE GRAIN