Does Burnt Rice Stick to Clay Pot Cookers?

We often hear from customers how much they love rice in the VitaClay pot. The clay just does something to the rice that makes it tastier with a better texture than they’ve had even in other specialty rice cookers.

You see, most rice cookers have an aluminum pot with a non-stick coating so the “sticky” Asian style rice doesn’t stick to the pot.

(If you’ve ever cooked rice on the stove top in a pot without non-stick coating, you know that you end up with a thick layer of rice stuck to the pan afterwards, which can be difficult to clean).

These cookers steam the rice well, and if that’s what you are used to, the rice is great.

Once you try rice cooked in a clay pot, however, you may be spoiled forever.

You may not think the flavor of rice could be improved with a cooking medium, but somehow it is. The texture is also noticeably firmer, fluffier and altogether… better.

Every once in a while, though, we get a complaint that rice has stuck to the clay pot. There could be several reasons for this, but there are also ways to prevent it.

Why Your Rice Might Stick

One reason could be not enough cooking liquid.

In our manual and recipe book we have general guidelines for rice-to-liquid ratio. While it’s a good rule of thumb, remember that there are thousands of varieties of rice.

So, depending on what kind of rice you are using (sticky, sweet, basmati, long grain, short grain, thai, Japanese, Chinese, sprouted, black, wild…and endless varieties within each of those categories) the rice-to-liquid ratio will vary slightly.

People also have different preferences with rice: some like it almost wet, some like it dry and separate, some like it all sticking together, and some even like it burned a little on the bottom.

So you will have to find your own “sweet spot” ratio based on both your preferences and the type of rice you are using.

Adding a little oil or fat to the rice as it cooks is also a great way to keep it from sticking.

I add all kinds of stuff to my rice, because I like it to be as nutrient-dense as possible. But just a spoonful of healthy fat will do the trick if you don’t want to change the flavor of your rice but want to ensure it won’t stick at all.

And our clay pots undergo a high temperature water glazing process that leaves them non-stick without the chemicals, so worst case scenario: you don’t add enough water and the rice sticks a little.

Allow the pot to cool to room temperature and then let water soak in the pot for about 10 minutes. The stuck-on rice will slide right out!