Really weird-tasting rice from my preps...

[Nickelless]

This is the first batch of rice I've had from my stash in a while, primarily because I've been working seven days a week since losing my wife two years ago and haven't had time to cook much at all at home. I finally got caught by the Omicron variant this past Friday, the worst of the symptoms seems to have abated about 48 hours ago, but I'm still self-quarantining until probably Monday. So I thought I would throw some rice, veggies and spicy brats in the crockpot to simmer for several hours, but when I thought I'd try a bite about six hours into the cooking, while the rice wasn't yet fully cooked, as I hadn't expected it to be yet, I couldn't get over how much it tasted literally like chalk. This batch of rice has a rather off-putting aftertaste that I don't think I'm going to be able to stomach. This rice actually came from a gallon-sized mason jar that hadn't been opened in years, rather the one of the large mylar bags full of rice that comprises most of my stash. I'm wondering if this is what has given the rice this taste, although it doesn't seem metallic per se. I really need a rice cooker to give it a more thorough cooking than the crockpot, but I'm wondering if the problem is the rice, the way it has been stored or the way I was cooking it. I really don't want any rude surprises with my food supplies and am open for advice.

 

[Usury]

Good to hear from you Nick. Sorry to hear about the wife and COVID. Hope you feel better soon.

Maybe try cooking another batch with Mylar bagged rice and report back? If it tastes foul try fresh rice….perhaps the big affected your taste buds?

 

[Nickelless]

That might be the case with my taste buds, although I really haven't noticed a difference in the taste of other things I've eaten. I thought I was just going to the doctor for an upper respiratory infection when she told me she was going to give me a Covid test. I might wait a few days. The flavor just really threw me off and I was a little worried for the sake of my food storage. I'll try rice from the mylar in a few days.

 

[Joe King]

I finally got caught by the Omicron variant this past Friday, the worst of the symptoms seems to have abated about 48 hours ago, but I'm still self-quarantining until probably Monday.

At this point I'd say that the right thing to do is to NOT quarantine and intentionally try spreading it as much as possible in the quest for herd immunity.

I couldn't get over how much it tasted literally like chalk.

Keep in mind that it might be due to your coof infection. When I had it, nothing truly tasted right. have you tried having someone else try a taste of it?

 

[Nickelless]

At this point I'd say that the right thing to do is to NOT quarantine and intentionally try spreading it as much as possible in the quest for herd immunity.


Keep in mind that it might be due to your coof infection. When I had it, nothing truly tasted right. have you tried having someone else try a taste of it?

I've been the only human living in my house since my wife died two years ago, so no. My sister and mother are immuno-compromised, so I don't want them near me until I'm over this mess. And quite frankly I'm too tired at the moment to go anywhere.

 

[Joe King]

I've been the only human living in my house since my wife died two years ago, so no. My sister and mother are immuno-compromised, so I don't want them near me until I'm over this mess. And quite frankly I'm too tired at the moment to go anywhere.

Yea, prolly don't want to get your family sick.
...and if you posted about your wife's passing and I missed it, much condolences for your loss.

 

[newmisty]

I've been working seven days a week

Sounds like all that coffee's going to good use


Did you rinse the rice well? Are you keeping anything as a desiccant with it?

 

[hammerhead]

I've been the only human living in my house since my wife died two years ago, so no. My sister and mother are immuno-compromised, so I don't want them near me until I'm over this mess. And quite frankly I'm too tired at the moment to go anywhere.

Enjoy the down time than.

 

[Uglytruth]

My condolences.

I was thinking boiling it might wash off some of the chalk taste.

 

[Avalon]

This is the first batch of rice I've had from my stash in a while, primarily because I've been working seven days a week since losing my wife two years ago and haven't had time to cook much at all at home. I finally got caught by the Omicron variant this past Friday, the worst of the symptoms seems to have abated about 48 hours ago, but I'm still self-quarantining until probably Monday. So I thought I would throw some rice, veggies and spicy brats in the crockpot to simmer for several hours, but when I thought I'd try a bite about six hours into the cooking, while the rice wasn't yet fully cooked, as I hadn't expected it to be yet, I couldn't get over how much it tasted literally like chalk. This batch of rice has a rather off-putting aftertaste that I don't think I'm going to be able to stomach. This rice actually came from a gallon-sized mason jar that hadn't been opened in years, rather the one of the large mylar bags full of rice that comprises most of my stash. I'm wondering if this is what has given the rice this taste, although it doesn't seem metallic per se. I really need a rice cooker to give it a more thorough cooking than the crockpot, but I'm wondering if the problem is the rice, the way it has been stored or the way I was cooking it. I really don't want any rude surprises with my food supplies and am open for advice.

We all had covid. I lost taste for a week. My daughter never lost taste but food tasted weird to her. Even 6 months later its not right. has someone else tried the rice?

 

[fink1]

I've heard from a few friends that caught the bug that they have noticed a metallic taste to certain foods. It's been different for each person. I wouldn't be throwing out any rice just yet. When you're feeling better maybe cook some and have someone else try it?

 

[the_shootist]

We all had covid. I lost taste for a week. My daughter never lost taste but food tasted weird to her. Even 6 months later its not right. has someone else tried the rice?

Yeah butt....he already said everything tastes normal EXCEPT this rice so it doesn't sound like wuflu symptoms to me, it sounds more like bad/messed up rice. Rice can get rancid if not stored properly for long periods of time...
I'm with others here who say try the 'other' rice you have. If that rice tastes 'normal' I would shit can the other batch that doesn't taste right


just sayin

 

[Avalon]

Yeah butt....he already said everything tastes normal EXCEPT this rice so it doesn't sound like wuflu symptoms to me, it sounds more like bad/messed up rice. Rice can get rancid if not stored properly for long periods of time...
I'm with others here who say try the 'other' rice you have. If that rice tastes 'normal' I would shit can the other batch that doesn't taste right


just sayin

yeah, if his preps have gone bad he needs to know.

 

[Bottom Feeder]

Rice... hummmm
We eat rice most meals here in the Bottom Feeder household. But the oldest has been two years old — no taste difference (to me). White rice stores well if you keep the bugs out of it (in a SHTF situation they would just be more protein). Brown rice (not hulled) will go rancid after a while. We keep about 50 pounds of "old" rice for feeding chickens or the neighbors (if needed).

And you cooked the rice for six hours and it wasn't done yet?! Never seen that before. We've both had the beer-flu here and the rice just tasted like rice. Did you ever cook the rice like you should and not in a slow cook pot?

BF

 

[Nickelless]

Rice... hummmm
We eat rice most meals here in the Bottom Feeder household. But the oldest has been two years old — no taste difference (to me). White rice stores well if you keep the bugs out of it (in a SHTF situation they would just be more protein). Brown rice (not hulled) will go rancid after a while. We keep about 50 pounds of "old" rice for feeding chickens or the neighbors (if needed).

And you cooked the rice for six hours and it wasn't done yet?! Never seen that before. We've both had the beer-flu here and the rice just tasted like rice. Did you ever cook the rice like you should and not in a slow cook pot?

BF

I think the issue is probably my sense of taste at the moment, but also the fact that I need a rice cooker specifically for the rice, which turns really mushy and gross in the crockpot, I've discovered. I figured I'd try to experiment with some things with the downtime I've had this week, and it seems kind of dumb in the big picture, but at least I know now I need to find a better way to cook rice when everything hits the fan. I had too much rice and too little of everything else in this batch, and when the rice turned to this chalky paste, I knew I'd screwed up. Both of my brothers are chefs, but I'm obviously not.

 

[bulloncoins]

I've seen beans where they would not get soft no matter how long you cooked them after they had been vacuum packed before storing. Had to be cooked in a pressure cooker after that and never tasted right...ended up throwing them away. Was the rice ever vacuum sealed?

 

[Bottom Feeder]

I need a rice cooker specifically for the rice

Naw, not really. I use a rice cooker 'cause I'm lazy. Wife can cook it on the stove ina pan and it comes out perfectly. Here's what to do:

1. Rinse the rice. Rinse it off good with cold water until water is clear.
2. In a 2 quart pan put one cup of rice. Fill with cold water to about ¼ inch above level of rice
3. Bring the water to a boil. Once it's boiling, add a pinch of salt.
4. Maintain a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a good fitting lid, and maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook without peeking or stirring. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Do not open the lid until the end of the cooking time so the steam doesn't escape.
6. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

hope that helps.

BF

 

[the_shootist]

I've seen beans where they would not get soft no matter how long you cooked them after they had been vacuum packed before storing. Had to be cooked in a pressure cooker after that and never tasted right...ended up throwing them away. Was the rice ever vacuum sealed?

How long did you soak them before you tried cooking them?

 

[the_shootist]

This makes perfect rice every time:

Be sure you order the model that comes with this blonde otherwise you'll need to make the rice yourself!

 

[Nickelless]

I've seen beans where they would not get soft no matter how long you cooked them after they had been vacuum packed before storing. Had to be cooked in a pressure cooker after that and never tasted right...ended up throwing them away. Was the rice ever vacuum sealed?

No, I have way too much rice to vacuum-seal it. I think the problem was just that it didn't cook uniformly in the crockpot and then got overcooked.

I've heard about beans becoming tough over time. The taste can be compensated for with other ingredients. How successful was the pressure cooker in making the beans soft enough to be eaten?

 

[bulloncoins]

The beans were part of my father's old stash. He is gone now. He told me about the beans years ago when he first bought a dehydrator and a vacuum seal system to put up emergency preps with. The beans were dry store bought. He vacuum packed them and ruined them. I would imagine he soaked pinto beans overnight, same as we did when I was a kid...anyway he told me to never vacuum pack dry beans and I took him for his word and never have. He was a child of depression and knew more about preserving food than I ever will, although I learned as much as I could from him before he passed.

 

[Goldhedge]

Condolences


I cook rice on the stove in a pot. 2cups water 1 cup rice. Never used a 'rice cooker' contraption.

Once it starts to boil, turn it down on low and just let it perk along. Keep an eye on it!!

Takes about 35 - 40 minutes for the steam to abate.

Jasmine rice takes less time but you add 2 1/2 cups water - it's 'sticky' rice, the kind they use for sushi.

My rice was bottled with O2 absorber 10 yrs ago.


As for taste buds...

When I had covid a year ago March I tried eating some Turkey Jerky from Costco.

Normally it tastes pretty good, but this time it was as if I was eating straw.

It was all fibrous just like dried grass might feel in the mouth.

Weirdest sensation ever.

It's amazing what the sense of smell does for the taste of food.

 

[UcoOnca]

A whee bit of salt increases the boiling temp by a few deg and you might win a few minutes. Little bit of olive oil (or the oil of your choice) stops the froth from messing the stove should your simmer temp be too high. On an electric stove you can let it perk along on the lowest setting, with the lid on, after the boil.

 

[coopersmith]

I have parbroiled rice thats 11 years old and it tastes and cooks up fine. I have beans that are 11 years old, and they stay hard no matter how long you cook them. Not even baking soda will soften them up. Sucks, buckets and buckets of shitty old beans.

 

[newmisty]

I have parbroiled rice thats 11 years old and it tastes and cooks up fine. I have beans that are 11 years old, and they stay hard no matter how long you cook them. Not even baking soda will soften them up. Sucks, buckets and buckets of shitty old beans.

Didja try a pressure cooker?

 

[mnmom]

Nick if you put rice into Mason jars its likely gone bad. While it seems like air wouldn't get in, it really does unless you vacuum seal it. I'd say its a lesson learned and go back to the mylar bagged rice.

 

[newmisty]

Nick if you put rice into Mason jars its likely gone bad. While it seems like air wouldn't get in, it really does unless you vacuum seal it. I'd say its a lesson learned and go back to the mylar bagged rice.

Yeah, rice, when put in a ziplock bag is often used to dry the internals of a cellphone that's been submerged in water.