Did You Know – Freezing Cooked Rice
Can you freeze cooked rice? Absolutely you can and it is so simple to do. If you store cooked rice in the refrigerator it only lasts for 4 days. If you freeze cooked rice, it will last 3 months.
Freezing rice the proper way will preserve its moisture and prevent freezer burn. You can use thawed frozen rice for just about any recipe. Here’s how you freeze cooked rice.
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Spread cooked rice across a metal baking sheet or baking pan.
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Place the pan of rice in the refrigerator immediately after cooking it, keeping the pan as level as possible so it won’t tip and spill the rice.
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When the rice has cooled completely, portion it out into resealable plastic freezer bags or airtight containers. You can freeze a batch of rice in one container, but it can be handy to freeze individual servings (about 1/2 cup of cooked rice) so you only have to thaw as much rice as you need.
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Store the sealed rice in the freezer. Label the package with the date to make it easy to track how soon you should use it. I like to write the use by date on mine on mine.
When should you freeze rice?
Freezing rice shortly after it has been cooked is a must. Rice can contain a bacteria called Bacillus Cereus, which can survive the cooking process and may lead to food poisoning. Since the bacteria thrive at room temperature, cooling the rice as soon as possible, after cooking, is the safest way. Placing rice in the freezer stops potential bacteria growth in its tracks, which makes freezing a safer option than refrigeration.
All varieties of rice freeze well. They found that shorter types of rice retain their texture a bit better, including arborio or sushi rice. Longer-grained varieties such as jasmine and basmati rice tend to dry out a bit. We suggest reheating them with extra water or broth (more details on that below), or simply freezing them for a little less time. Chewy, nutty brown rice freezes well too, keeping its hearty texture even after a couple months. You can also freeze recipes made with rice such as fried rice or cooked meat and vegetables too.
How to Reheat and Use Frozen Rice
When you’re ready to use the frozen rice, reheat the rice in the microwave. Add a tablespoon of water or broth per cup of rice and cover with a lid or paper towel. Microwave on high for one to two minutes, stirring halfway through. Make sure it’s steaming hot throughout. Use it in a rice recipe, or serve it as a side dish with dinner.
It’s best to avoid reheating rice more than once. Repeated reheating can create the conditions needed for bacteria to grow. If you have any leftovers after reheating, throw them away.
Source: Taste of Home
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
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Categories: Did You Know, Rice
Yes, indeed
Thank you Derrick!
Thank you for reposting Ned!
Thanks for the tips!
You’re welcome!
I can see this being a good hack for making fried rice, which is best made with overnight rice.
Yes!!!! When I want fried rice it’s always the same day. So since it has to get cold I just don’t make it. If I have a meal with rice I will make more and put it in the refrigerator. I thought the same way you did as it’s perfect from frozen.
And i save cooked rice for leftovers. It sits in the frig for days, if not a week. Thanks
I am married to a retired health inspector where they drilled food safety in his head. We never keep food of any kind longer than 4 days. Lol
I spent 16 years in a grocery story. Food handling was always paramount and it remains so today. Safe food handling vs leftover smarts are two different things. When I told my wife about your post she cleaned out our leftovers. LOL
Oh no! So sorry but at least you didn’t get sick eating them. My husband brought a video home when he was still working. It showed the bacteria doubling every 15 minutes on chicken that sat out on the counter. That blew me away! Oh the stories he told me about restaurants which was so bad he shut the restaurants down. At least we knew where not to eat. 🤣
Valuable information, Diane! Thank you!
You’re welcome Linda!
Great info, Diane. I have frozen rice before, but didn’t do it right away. I didn’t know it had a bacteria in it. thanks for that tip.
You’re welcome Carla!
I did not know that rice keeps in the fridge for four days. I used to make some of my crockpot meals with rice as an alternative to noodles and read that if you have rice in a meal that you cannot keep it more than a couple of days … on its own, it is fine like you have it. I don’t have a microwave so I’d have to defrost it the old-fashioned way if I wanted it.
It is perfect for fried rice because that rice has to be refrigerated before using it.
I don’t think I have had fried rice … not that I can recall. I think we only had pepper steak over rice and Chop Suey. Mom was not a fan of Chinese food, but made this for my father and me.
No way! It is one of my favorites if made right. I buy frozen shrimp Tai Pei from the grocery store. They have chicken etc. but I love shrimp. It is similar to a fried rice that I can microwave. I like them once a month or so.
So you make the rice, then fry it, then mix in shrimp. Nope, never had fried rice before, I’m sure of it … it sounds good though.
Yes you make the rice a day before you are making the fried rice. Fried rice has a meat like chicken, pork, shrimp or whatever you want. It has frozen peas and carrots, eggs and soy sauce, I love it!
I have not tried a lot of different things, something I realize when I read your recipes. 🙂
I love trying new and different foods. It’s so easy getting into the rut of eating the same things all the time. That is boring to me unless it is my favorite cake and any cookies! 🤣
Funny, I just commented that I have never had eggplant except in Moussaka. I like zucchini in tomato sauce. I buy that sometimes but it is high in sodium and they don’t have a low-sodium variety.
See the advantage of making it yourself? 🤣
Yes, it is painstaking opening the can!! That made me smile Diane. I sometimes put it in my crockpot meals so it is not as salty then. 🙂
It sounds like a good compromise!
Easier works for me, the cooking/baking simpleton. 🙂
Today I am learning something from you Diane! I didn’t know how to freeze rice (or if it’s possible). I know about the bacteria thing and I’m always very careful with reheating rice. Thanks for a great tip!
You’re very welcome!
Awesome I didn’t know this was an option!!!
Yes and I love it for fried rice to avoid letting it sit overnight in the refrigerator. There are days I just don’t feel like making rice so I skip the fried rice.
we only eat rice once in a while, which is why freezing leftovers appeals to us – good tips here – thanks
You’re welcome! It is especially good for fried rice since it needs to sit in the refrigerator to get cold.
I have never heard of this before – thanks!
You’re welcome!
It freezes very well!
I think it saves so much time, thank you!