Name: Baked Wild Rice
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups wild rice; 3 cups water; 2 teaspoons unsalted butter; 3/4 teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

From our many experiences with the pilaf method, we knew that finding the right ratio of rice to water for our baked wild rice recipe would be crucial. Only after extensive testing did we settle on a ratio that produced rice that was evenly cooked, not wet or mushy. In pinning down the baking method for our baked wild rice recipe, we also discovered that bringing the cooking liquid to a boil before stirring in the rice—another rice pilaf trick—improved the texture of the rice. Doing so resulted in perfectly cooked grains of rice from the edges to the very center of the dish.

Before You Begin

Be sure to cover the pot when bringing the water to a boil in step 2; any water loss due to evaporation will affect how the rice cooks. If doubling the recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish; the baking time need not be increased.

Instructions

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the rice in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a covered medium saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, stir the mixture to combine, then immediately pour it over the rice.

Cover the baking dish tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil. Bake the rice until it is tender and no water remains, 70 to 80 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork. Re-cover the dish with foil and let the rice stand for 10 minutes before serving.