# storing brown rice



## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

I was reading some threads on a cheap homesteading site about storing brown rice. Apparently it is not good for long term storage. I always wondered why places like emergency essentials only offered white rice in their long term storage pails. Rice is a big part of our diet and I would like some SHTF storage options other than freezing. Anybody have any experience storing brown rice?


----------



## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

I was reading something yesterday on storing rice...I will have to try and remember where it was, but the reason it is not good for long term storage is because of the oil in the shell. It will go rancid. I don't know if it is one of the things that you can use dry ice with or not. I only store white rice because of this issue. I understand you wanting a healthier option though. I hope someone can elaborate more!


----------



## Limon (Aug 25, 2010)

Brown rice goes rancid. White rice doesn't. The brown still contains the germ, and the fat content in that is what goes bad. Short of freezing brown rice, there isn't a lot to extend the shelf-life. Keep it in as cool and dark a spot as possible, and remove as much air from the packaging. It's still going to go bad on you eventually.


----------



## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

Note to self, use up all that brown rice...


----------



## JohnL751 (Aug 28, 2008)

How about if you vaccum seal it in pint or quart canning jars. How long would that extend the shelf life?


----------



## woodsy (Oct 13, 2008)

Still tasty says:

http://stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18184

We keep some stored in qt canning jars on the fridge door, storage for a year.
Don't eat any white rice here.


----------



## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

For the last 4 years I have vacuum packed brown rice in canning jars. I'm using rice that is bewteen 2-3 years old right now without a problem. 
I have no experience longer than that
I wanted at add that it is kept in a dark room away from sunlight.


----------



## Guest (Jan 31, 2012)

Oven can it, that keeps it good for years.


----------



## Groene Pionier (Apr 23, 2009)

I bought brown rice, what we normally only eat, in a bag of 44 lbs. I stored it in a big plastic bucket. After 1.5 years over the BB date it went rancid. Now I have a lot of draft snakes
Xant


----------



## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

We got gifted some brown rice sealed in 1998 in tin cans (I think it was from an LDS cannery). I pitched the first bit assuming it was bad - it wasn't. Don't know that I would want to invest in storing some though, as I've heard so much about it going rancid.


----------



## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

I do vacuum seal most of my storage foods weather they are dried or frozen. I don't know what oven canning is however if I could store it for three to four years that could do it. Since it can't be grown where I live in northern michigan, I probably would have to go without it if the SHTF, which I am sure it will soon. What's an old man to do?


----------



## Guest (Feb 1, 2012)

dirtman said:


> I don't know what oven canning is however if I could store it for three to four years that could do it.


If you search the forums you'll find a lot of threads on oven canning, here's one: http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=425895

I've got stuff that I oven canned 10-15 years ago and it's still good. All kinds of stuff like nuts, dry beans, rice, etc.


----------



## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

Whoa, I never knew we could oven can nuts and have them keep?! Thats great! Would vacuum sealing work as well as oven canning? --thinking that avoiding heat altogether might be a good idea for nuts.


----------

