NEVER Buy Microwave Rice Again — Try This Church Kitchen Trick

That microwave rice pouch costs about $2.24, and the first ingredient on the back is water. The same amount of rice cooked in your own pot costs about a dime. Here's the old church kitchen way to cook rice so every grain stands up on its own, no gummy bottom and no crunchy top, plus how to make your own "microwave rice" for the week. WHAT YOU NEED 2 cups long-grain white rice 3 1/2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter (optional) A heavy pot with a tight lid HOW TO MAKE IT 1. Rinse the rice in cool water, rubbing it between your hands. Pour off the cloudy water and repeat 2 to 3 times, until it runs mostly clear. 2. Put the rice in the pot and shake it level. 3. The first knuckle: rest your middle fingertip on top of the rice and add water up to the first knuckle line (about 1 inch). That's about 3 1/2 cups for 2 cups of rice. 4. Add the salt and butter. Bring to a boil uncovered. When you see little steam holes in the rice, stir once. 5. Lid on, heat on the lowest setting, 18 minutes. Don't lift the lid. 6. Heat off, lid still on, rest 10 minutes. 7. Fluff with a fork. THE SUNDAY POT Cook 4 cups of rice, cool it promptly, then bag it 1 1/2 cups per freezer bag (about one pouch's worth). Press the bags flat and freeze. Cooked rice keeps 1 to 2 months frozen. To reheat, put it in a covered bowl with a splash of water and microwave a couple of minutes. THE MATH Ready rice pouch: about $2.24 for 8.8 oz cooked (about $4 a pound). 20 lb bag of long grain: $11.46 (about 57 cents a pound dry, which cooks to about 3 pounds). One pouch's worth from the pot: about 11 cents. A pouch a day adds up to over $700 a year. Prices checked September 2026 (Walmart). Yours may vary. CHAPTERS 0:00 Microwave rice is mostly water 1:10 The money: two dollars vs a dime 2:16 Whose rice this really is 3:36 Big Mama's rice pot 4:33 Why rice goes wrong 5:56 The recipe, step by step 6:47 The first knuckle secret 9:57 What's really in the pouch 11:05 The Sunday pot that saves $700 a year Tell me in the comments: what did your grandmother put on top of her rice? And did she wash it, or say washing it poured the good stuff down the drain? #soulfood #rice #churchkitchen