How To Cook Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice

One of our favorite things about our North Carolina Grown Carolina Gold Rice is its versatility. This heirloom grain may be prepared as a light and fluffy rice or a sticky rice. You’ll find basic preparations here. 

Tidewater Grain’s Carolina Gold Rice also cooks beautifully in a rice cooker, insta-pot and microwave. Simply follow the instructions on your appliance and get get set to enjoy the delicious end results.

How to Cook Light & Fluffy Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice                               

Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil. And preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Add 1 cup of Tidewater Grain White Carolina Gold Rice or 1 cup of Tidewater Grain Brown Carolina Gold Rice to the water. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium simmer. Stir, but DO NOT cover the pan.

Cook the rice in the simmering water for 12-15 minutes.

Drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve or colander and rinse the rice in cold water.

Spread the rice onto a foil or parchment paper covered baking sheet; place in a 300 degree preheated oven.

After 5 minutes, season the rice the pepper and dot generously with 2 Tbsp. of butter. Return to the oven for 5 mins, more.

Remove the rice from the oven and fluff with a fork before serving. Enjoy as is, or add your choice of fresh herbs or spices.

How to Cook Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Sticky Rice

Enjoy Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice cooked as sticky rice with soups or gumbos or to use in rice cakes, arrancini or rice puddings                                                                                 

Bring 2 ½ cups salted water to a boil. 

Add 1 cup of Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice (use our white rice, brown rice or a combo of the two) and stir once. Return the pot to a boil; add two bay leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes. 

Uncover. Fluff rice with a fork, cover once again and allow to stand off the heat for 2-3 minutes. Hold in the pot if you are using or serving immediately.                                                                 

Or, if you are using the rice in another recipe; spread the cooked rice across a parchment paper lined baking pan and allow to cool.  The rice may be cooked ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

No Measuring Cup Rice Method

Wondering how to cook your Tidewater Carolina Gold Rice? We are always on the lookout for new techniques and recipes to share. But, the next time you prepare rice, you simply must try this amazing technique – it couldn’t be easier.

All you need is rice, water and your finger for this “new” old recipe on how to cook our Carolina Gold Rice. Time honored with perfect results every time. For those of you raised in Asian or Indian households, it might not be anything new; in fact it is probably how your grandma has done it all along. But for many of you, this read will provide an easy-peasy lightbulb moment on how to cook rice – just as it did for many of us in the Tidewater kitchens. All you need is a large pot with a lid; a bag of your favorite variety of Tidewater Carolina Gold Rice, water, and your finger. No measuring cup needed.

It seems chance-y, we know, but this once, ditch the solid and liquid measuring cups, throw caution to the wind and pour in as much rice as you need into a large saucepan, remembering. of course, that dry rice doubles in volume once it is cooked.

Okay. If it makes you feel better to measure at least one thing the first time your try this “how to cook rice” method. Use a solid cup measure and add 2 cups of our white or brown Carolina Gold Rice to the saucepan.

Now, here comes the amazing part. You won’t believe this really works. Put your index finger in the pot so that the tip of your finger is touching the surface of the rice. Keep your finger still and steady. Then, with your other hand, pour enough water into the pot, so that the water comes up to the first knuckle of your finger.

That’s basically it. 

Place the heat on high and bring the water to a boil; then cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. And, Viola! Take the pot off the heat, uncover, use a fork to fluff; and your Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice is ready to enjoy. It works every time.

How to Use Middlins

Rice Middlins, sometimes called “rice grits” are the broken bits of rice that result in the milling process. This broken variation of our NC grown Carolina Gold Rice was originally made popular by chefs. It is now much sought after by chefs and home cooks alike. Use our white rice middlins interchangeably in any recipe in place of stone ground corn grits; to thicken soups and stews or to make your own rice-based beverages such as rice milk or horchata.

How to Cook Tidewater Grain Santee Gold Long Grain Rice

Use 1 cup of salted water to 1 cup of the Tidewater Grain Santee Gold Long Grain Rice. Bring the salted water to a boil. Add the rice, stir and immediately turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the pot and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Lift the lid. Fluff with a fork and enjoy!

Note that our Santee Gold Long Grain, requires no soaking, as is called for in many basmati rice recipes. In fact, if you soak it first, your final results may be soggy and mushy. So, if you are following another recipe calling for basmati rice, just skip the part that calls for soaking. For the best success, be sure to adjust the other times and measurements for our Santee Gold.