# How do I stop the rice from burning on the bottom of my rice cooker?



## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

I got a cheap rice cooker last week and used it for the first time last night. I made brown rice and it burned to the bottom both times I tried to make it. The rice was great, but there was a layer of burnt to the bottom. Can I stop that from happening?

Also, it sputtered starchy water over everything while it was cooking. How do I keep it from making a mess?


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## kewb (May 13, 2005)

Did you rinse the rice before cooking?


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

uh, no... am I supposed to do that?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Does it have a brown rice setting, or do you have to run it through two cycles to cook the brown? I'd try to figure out a way to give the rice a stir halfway through the cooking.

For the sputtering problem, toss a kitchen towel over it, that will contain the mess. Some brands just do that.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

There is only a warm and a cook setting. I turned it on cook and ran it though one cycle. It took about 20 or 30 minutes, but it did cook the brown rice perfectly. The instructions did say to stir at about the 15 minute point for brown rice (which I did).

I thought about throwing a towel over it, but wanted to make sure it wouldn't cause other cooking problems.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

was it blackened burnt, or just a crusty brown on the bottom? Crusty brown bottom is considered a good thing by some.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

It was very crispy brown and stuck to the bottom. I had to soak the bowl and scrape it off. It's not the taste that I mind, it's the clean up. I was hoping to toss the bowl into the dishwasher and be done with it.


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

Mine spits as well and I have an expensive one. I wouldn't put a towel over it since you're supposed to be letting the steam escape (just seems like a fire hazard to me). About the crusty part, maybe put a bit more water in when you do the brown rice?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kjbrown92* 
I wouldn't put a towel over it since you're supposed to be letting the steam escape (just seems like a fire hazard to me).

A kitchen towel isn't going to prevent steam escaping, steam will go right through it. A bath towel might. But a kitchen towel will contain the water that's sputtering out so you don't have to wipe down the entire kitchen afterwards.

And the outside of the rice maker should never get so hot that fire is a concern. That's half the point of a rice maker, it should be insulated so you don't burn yourself when you're working around it.


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## star792 (May 31, 2004)

i have the same problem with my rice cooker. It is so hard to clean the bottom I am considering getting rid of it. maybe i will try more water with the brown rice.


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## Czen:) (Jul 31, 2002)

you stop the sputtering by adding some oil. A touch of butter, CO, or olive oil all work. Works like a charm!


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Czen* 
you stop the sputtering by adding some oil. A touch of butter, CO, or olive oil all work. Works like a charm!

I like that idea better than using a towel. Any chance that helps to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom too?


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## Czen:) (Jul 31, 2002)

No, It doesn't. I have gone back to using a pot and having better luck than I did with the cooker.


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## wild fire child (Jun 25, 2008)

I haven't found that adding oil helps mine not to sputter. I just set the pot on a kitchen towel while it cooks...the outside of the pot doesn't get warm, so I figure it's not a fire hazard, and it keeps the water all in one place and easy to clean.
Mine has 4 different 'fill lines', and I've found that it only gets crusty on the bottom if I use the largest amount, the smaller settings don't do that at all.


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