Has your nearest supermarket run out of brown rice flour? Are you wondering how to make brown rice flour with the least effort? You are in good luck because I have found the simplest way.
When I was on a diet, I tried to experiment with various gluten-free flours, including brown rice flour. It stood out to me in recipes because of its nutty flavor.
Another great thing about brown rice is that you can prepare it at home without any fancy ingredients or equipment. Let’s take a look at each step in detail.
Step-by-Step Guide to Make Brown Rice Flour
Trust me, even if you consider yourself an amateur or a bad chef, brown rice flour is the easiest thing to make. The process is straightforward, but all you need is a little bit of patience and preparation.
Given below are the steps to make the best brown rice flour.
Step 1: Soak the Brown Rice for a Few Hours
This is one of the most important steps in preparing brown rice flour.
Soaking brown rice in lukewarm water for a few hours allows the grains to soften, which helps get a finer flour.
Just take one cup of brown rice in a bowl, pour lukewarm water, and let the rice soak for three to four hours. I suggest covering the bowl with a lid so nothing falls in it!
Step 2: Wash and Rinse the Grains
I prefer washing and rinsing the grains after soaking them. This step ensures that you get rid of any impurities left in the rice.
First, just drain the soaked grains using a sieve. Then, rinse them under tap water twice or thrice.
Step 3: Let the Rice Dry Overnight
You require dry brown rice grains to prepare the flour. Therefore, let the rice dry overnight or for at least eight hours.
I tried to speed up the process of drying the rice by spreading each grain on a large dish or a tray. You can also keep the tray beneath a fan or in the sunlight to dry the rice quickly.
Caution: You will end up with a paste instead of a powder if you grind wet rice grains! Hence, don’t skip this step.
Step 4: Grind the Dried Rice Grains
Check the rice to determine if it has dried completely. Proceed to the next step if you don’t feel any moisture when touching the grains.
In this step, you just transfer the dried rice grains to a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder.
Then, grind the grains until you get a fine powder. It took me about five to ten minutes.
Step 5: Remove Chunks Using a Fine-Mesh Strainer or Sieve
There are chances that you might notice a few tiny and hard chunks of brown rice grains in your flour.
If you can’t grind the leftover rice grains anymore, simply take a fine-mesh strainer or sieve. Then, sift the flour until the rice pieces are removed, and you get the desired consistency.
I also recommend sifting the flour even if you don’t notice any chunks. This step helps remove all the large particles and gives your flour a uniform consistency.
That’s all you need to do to prepare brown rice flour at home with minimal effort!
You can also try this alternate method to process and make brown rice flour.
How Long Does Brown Rice Flour Last?
Brown rice flour takes some time to prepare, but I love that you can store it for a long time.
The freshness of brown rice flour depends on how and where you store it. It can remain fresh for up to two months at room temperature. However, you can also increase brown rice flour’s shelf life by refrigerating or freezing it.
Brown rice is safe to consume for up to four to five months in the refrigerator and one year in the freezer.
| Storage | Shelf Life |
| At Room Temperature | 1 – 2 months |
| Refrigerator | 4 – 5 months |
| Freezer | Up to 12 months |
Note that if you live in a hot and humid place, the brown rice flour may go stale before the suggested shelf life!
Storage Tips for Brown Rice Flour
You don’t need to worry even if you have prepared brown rice flour in bulk. Below are some tips to keep your brown rice flour fresh for many months.
- Store the brown rice flour in airtight containers or mason jars to prevent moisture absorption.
- Always keep the brown rice flour in a cool and dry environment. Store it away from windows or other places with direct exposure to sunlight.
- Use freezer bags while freezing brown rice flour to prevent freezer burns.
- I recommend labeling the flour bags or containers with the storage date. This way, you can know if it is fresh or not!
- You can thaw the frozen brown rice flour in the refrigerator for 24 hours or at room temperature for five to six hours.
Recipe Card – Brown Rice Flour
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Soaking and Drying Time: 11-12 hours
- Yield: 120 grams of brown rice flour
Ingredients
- 1 cup of uncooked brown rice
Method
- Take one cup of brown rice and soak it for three to four hours.
- Drain the soaked rice using a sieve, and rinse it under tap water twice or thrice.
- Spread the rinsed rice on a tray.
- Let the grains dry for at least eight hours or overnight.
- Once the brown rice grains have dried fully, transfer them to a food processor or coffee grinder.
- Grind the grains for ten minutes or until you get a fine powder.
- Sift the flour using a fine-mesh strainer or sieve to remove large chunks.
- Transfer the flour to an airtight container and store it in a cool and dry place.
Final Thoughts
Brown rice flour has become my go-to ingredient for baking or preparing fresh pancakes on gluten-free days. After all, it takes only a few minutes to make brown rice flour once you have soaked and dried the rice.
Related Questions
How much time does it take to make brown rice flour?
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to make brown rice flour. However, you need to soak brown rice for three to four hours and let it dry for at least eight hours beforehand.
What can you make from brown rice flour?
Brown rice flour has similar uses to any other flour. You can use it to prepare bakery items like vegan cakes and breads. Brown rice flour is useful for thickening sauces too.
Can I replace white rice flour with brown rice flour?
Brown rice flour and white rice flour can be used interchangeably. You might have to reduce the amount of brown rice flour as it has a nutty flavor and more coarse texture than white rice flour.
How do you know if brown rice flour has expired?
Expired or stale brown rice flour has a musty or acidic smell instead of a nutty fragrance. You might also see discoloration or greenish-blue mold on it.
What are the disadvantages of brown rice flour?
Brown rice flour is unsuitable for people with sensitive digestive systems. It might cause bloating, indigestion, or even diarrhea in some cases.
