Zojirushi rice cookers are known for cooking superior-quality rice. They can cook all types of rice, as well as other foods. Zojirushi rice cookers come from Osaka, Japan.
Zojirushi rice cookers make excellent pots of brown rice. Brown rice requires more water than white rice. It also takes longer to cook. Soaking your brown rice before cooking improves its texture and taste.
Is A Zojirushi Rice Cooker Good For Brown Rice?
A Zojirushi rice cooker cooks brown rice well. It cooks perfectly fluffy rice each time. Your Zojirushi can also cook other grains and steam a variety of foods.
One downside of a Zojirushi is how long it takes to cook brown rice. One pot of brown rice can easily take almost two hours to cook. But if you love excellent brown rice, you may decide this extra time is worth it.
How To Cook Brown Rice In A Zojirushi
It’s easy to cook brown rice in your Zojirushi rice cooker:
Measure With Your Rice Cup
Use the measuring cup that came with your rice cooker. I scoop my rice until the cup overflows, then level it off with a knife.
This cup is equal to ¾ cup US (180ml). If you can’t find the cup that came with your rice cooker, measure out ¾ cup of rice in a regular measuring cup.
Rinse Your Rice
Rinse your rice to remove excess starch. It helps keep your rice cooker from boiling over and makes your rice less sticky when cooked. Rinsing improves the consistency of my rice once cooked. I always take time for this step.
Pour your rice into a metal strainer and rinse until the water runs clear. Swirl the rice around under the water so that the water touches each grain.
Soak Your Rice For 30 Minutes
Place your rice in a bowl and cover it with water. Let your rice soak for 20-30 minutes. Soaking your rice lets it absorb water before cooking. The rice grains plump up and start to get soft. They’ll be less likely to stick together when they cook.
Many Zojiruhsi rice cookers have a pre-soak option. Check your instruction manual to see if your machine pre-soaks your rice. If you choose that option, let your rice cooker soak your rice.
Start Your Rice Cooker
Add rice and water to the inner pot. Close the lid and turn your machine on. Press the Brown setting and let your rice cook. One advantage of using a rice cooker is setting it up and walking away.
My favorite benefit of my rice cooker is that I can prepare the rest of my dinner or get caught up on household chores while my rice cooker works for me.
Rest Your Rice For 15 Minutes After Cooking
After cooking your rice, your machine will switch to the Keep Warm setting. Let your rice rest on this setting for about 15 minutes. Your rice will finish absorbing all the moisture in the machine and be the perfect consistency.
Fluff Your Rice With The Plastic Spatula
Carefully open the lid of your rice cooker and stir your rice with a plastic spatula or spoon. Never use metal utensils, as these will scratch the non-stick coating. When the non-stick coating is scratched, it can release toxins into your food.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take To Cook Brown Rice In A Zojirushi Rice Cooker?
Cooking brown rice in a Zojirushi takes about two hours. This cooking time includes soaking, cooking, and resting time.
First, your Zojirushi soaks your brown rice for 30 minutes. Next, it cooks your brown rice for about 5-60 minutes. Then, it keeps your rice warm.
If you’d like your rice cooked by a specific time, you have two options:
- Start your machine early and let it keep your rice warm until dinnertime
- Use the delay timer so your device starts cooking at a specific time
How Many Cups Of Water To Cook Brown Rice In A Zojirushi?
Zojirushi recommends adding 1.5 cups of water to every cup of brown rice. For example, if you cook two cups of dry rice, you need three cups of water.
If you prefer softer rice, add another half cup of water. You may need to experiment to find the consistency of rice you like.
All Zojirushi rice cookers come with water lines marked in the inner pot. Add your brown rice, then fill the pot with water according to how many cups you plan to cook.
Can My Zojirushi Quick Cook My Brown Rice?
The Quick Cooking setting on your Zojirushi is not meant for brown rice. You can quick-cook white rice or boxed fast-cooking rice. If you quick-cook brown rice, it will end up gummy or undercooked.
Can I Cook Long Grain Brown Rice In My Zojirushi?
Even though your Zojirushi was made to cook short and medium-grain rice, you can still cook long-grain rice in your Zojirushi rice cooker. Cook long-grain brown rice with a 1:1 ¼ rice to water ratio. Follow the same rinsing and soaking steps as usual, and use the Mixed setting on your machine.
Final Thoughts
Zojirushi rice cookers make perfect, fluffy brown rice. For best results, rinse and soak your rice before cooking. One major downside is that each pot of brown rice takes about two hours to cook. But, if you enjoy rice as a staple in your diet, you’ll appreciate the quality of rice that Zojirushi rice cookers create.
