Rice is one of those foods everyone has had at least once in their life. It’s cheap, convenient, has a very long shelf life and it’s the base for many, many dishes, making it one of the world’s most consumed foods.
But can you freeze rice? Find your answer below.
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Can You Freeze Rice?
I was often asked that: "Can you freeze rice?". Of course, rice’s only downside is that it can’t be frozen…right?
While it’s true that rice does tend to ‘dry up’ once stored in the fridge for long, we have great news for you: You can freeze rice and, in fact, you should!
It will save you time and money, and we’re here to tell you how.
Benefits of Freezing Rice
As we mentioned before, rice is a staple food worldwide, and it’s used in a seemingly endless variety of ways; Breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert, you really can’t go wrong when it comes to rice so it’s smart always to keep some around.
If there’s a downside to rice, however, is the fact that it takes a while to cook and in today’s busy world time is money which is why you should freeze it.
Think about it. You can cook rice by a rice cooker, store it and freeze it all in a couple of hours and then you can unfreeze it whenever you need, turning a task that could take half an hour or more into a task that takes just a couple!
Of course, there’s a method to this so keep reading to find out the easiest, safest way of freezing rice.
How to Freeze Rice?
Whether you have leftover rice, or you’ve cooked rice with the specific objective of cooking it, follow these instructions to ensure the best results:
1. Put the rice into a freezer safe container
Once you’ve cooked your rice, transfer it to a freezer safe container if you’re going to use it all at once or separate it into portions if you plan to use it through the week.
2. Cool the rice
You can do this by storing it in the fridge or by leaving it outside. This will help the rice keep its texture and heat up faster once it’s time to use it.
3. Freeze the rice
If you’re using a container, simply place it in your freezer once it’s cool. If you’re using baggies (such as Ziploc), use a straw to suck out as much air as possible before sealing them and placing them in the fridge.
Either way, include a label pointing out how many cups of rice are in each container/baggie and the date they were frozen.
And that’s it for freezing the rice…Easy, right?
Well, freezing is the easy part, as it’s pretty straightforward. Reheating it, though? This is where you should be careful.
How to Reheat Frozen Rice?
It’s important for you to know that uncooked rice can contain a bacteria called Bacillus Cereus, which can cause food poisoning. These bacteria lay dormant once you cool or freeze your rice but they can reactivate themselves once hot. The more you reheat your rice, the more likely this is to happen which is why you should never reheat rice more than once.
This is why you should separate your rice into portions if you plan to use it throughout the week.
Keeping that in mind, there are different ways you can achieve this:
- If you used baggies to freeze your rice, all you need to do is tear open the bag and dump your frozen ice into an oven safe container, sprinkle some water on it to help with the moisture and use your microwave to reheat it in 30 seconds increments, stirring every now and then to ensure the rice is thoroughly heated.
- If you used a container that also microwaves safe just throw some water in, cover and place in the microwave. Remember to stir every now and then to get the best results.
- If your container wasn’t oven safe, just dump your rice in one that is and reheat.
Not a fan of microwaves? No problem!
- To thaw frozen rice without a microwave you just need to submerge the container or baggie in warm water and let it sit. The rice will cool the water so make sure to change it now and then.
Conclusion
If you’re going to use the rice as part of another dish instead of a side dish, then you don’t need to heat it up as thoroughly, as it will heat up as you cook.
As you can see, there’s not a lot of science to frozen rice. It’s a good way of saving time and money by reducing waste and cooking time, and it’s a perfectly safe thing to do.
Next time someone asks ‘can you freeze rice?’ you’ll be able to dispel all the myths and share valuable advice to friends and family.
- Related Video: How To Cook Perfect Rice
Did you enjoy this article? Do you think there’s something we missed?
Let us know in the comments!