Helpful Lesson 11: How to Cook Grains Perfectly
- Nancy Wilson
- Dec 2, 2020
- 2 min read
When experimenting with new grains, I've relied on recipes to tell me how to prepare them. I've cooked couscous, farro, barley, oats, quinoa and all types of rice. Apparently, instead of looking up the water-to-grain ratios and cooking times, there is a formula that Bon Appetit's Christina Chaey insists that works for every type of grain.
Toast dry grains
Cook them in one big pot of salted water
Add some aromatics
Chill to cool and dry
Toast Dry Grains
Toasting dry grains before cooking intensifies their flavor and adds depth to the finished dish. The Bon Appetit chefs especially like toasting nutty grains like quinoa, farro, wheat berries, and freekeh.
Spread the grains on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven until lightly browned (about 10 to 15 minutes), or cook them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they're just slightly browned and smell fragrant. They warn to be careful not to burn them and they'll end up tasting bitter. If this step seems annoying, skipping it will not ruin the grains.
One Pot Fits All
Treat grains just like pasta and cook them in one big stockpot of boiling, well-salted water until al dente, tasting for doneness as you go. This method is preferred over the standard cover-and-simmer technique because the extra room in the pot lets the grains shed a lot of the starch that can otherwise lead to gumminess. It also happens to work for everything from tiny millet to hearty barley and rice. The bonus? You don't have to remember a dozen different water-to-grain ratios. The key to success is to keep an eye on the timer and check for doneness as you cook, as these can go from tender to mushy in a matter of minutes. Once grains are cooked, drain them using a fine-mesh strainer.
Add Some Aromatics
Grains will soak up whatever is thrown in the cooking water, so this is the time to really go for it with aromatics and woody herbs. Any mix of onion, bay, thyme, rosemary, celery, shallots, and garlic will work—just fish them out of the pot before you drain. Cooking grains in chicken or vegetable stock can be done but, since the one-pot method requires a full stockpot's worth of liquid, water is cheaper.
Chill for the Perfect Amount of Fluff
For fluffy, never-mushy grains, spread the cooked grains on a baking sheet and refrigerate them, uncovered, until they cool and dry out a bit. Why is it so important for your cooked grains to be dry? Once the outer layers are dried, they'll take on sauces better. If incorporating a vinaigrette or sauce later, spread the freshly-cooked grains out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or until chilled, before proceeding. If not using chilled grains right away, store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Now, a recipe that celebrates grain:
Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans
(Feel free to use farro or wheat berries if you can't find spelt.)
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