How to Reheat Rice Safely
Reheating cooked rice can be perfectly safe, as long as you take care to cool, store, and reheat it safely. This guide covers everything you need to know about making sure your leftover rice is safe to eat.
Can you reheat rice?
Yes, you can reheat rice once, within 24 hours after it was first cooked. First the rice should be cooled quickly and refrigerated. Then, it should be reheated quickly, until it reaches 75 °C.
Any rice, including egg fried rice, boiled rice and risotto rice are all safe to reheat, as long as they haven’t been reheated before.
Uncooked rice often contains a bacteria called bacillus cereus. If rice is left at room temperature for too long, stored incorrectly, or reheated improperly, these bacteria can grow and cause food poisoning.
The safest way to handle rice is to ensure it stays outside of the danger zone (8-63 °C) as much as possible.
How to cool cooked rice safely
Cool cooked rice as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour, then place it in the fridge.
Here are some tips for cooling your rice safely:
- Divide the rice into smaller portions
- Place into cool containers immediately
- Sit your containers of rice in a few centimetres of cold water to speed up cooling
- Store the rice in the fridge ideally within an hour of cooking
- Make sure your fridge temperature is below 5 °C to prevent bacterial growth whilst storing your rice
Use the leftover cooked rice within 24 hours. You can eat leftover rice cold or hot as long as you’ve followed the instructions above.
How to reheat rice safely
Once you have cooled and stored your cooked rice correctly, you can reheat it. Reheating your rice as quickly as possible is the best way to avoid bacterial growth, which is why microwaving is a great choice. But you can also steam or fry your rice.
The best and easiest way to make sure you reheat your rice correctly is by using a food thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 75 °C throughout.
Can you reheat rice twice?
No, you should never reheat rice twice. Rice should only ever be reheated once, doing so more times than this increases the chance of harmful bacteria developing.
Can you reheat microwaveable rice?
Packet rice has already been cooked, so you should only ever reheat it once.
Different ways to reheat rice
When it comes to reheating rice, there are a few options that ensure your rice is heated through, reducing the risk of harmful bacteria:
Microwaving
The microwave is the quickest and easiest option. Place your rice in a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of water to help retain moisture, and cover it with a lid or microwave-safe wrap. Heat on high for about 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Use a thermometer to check it reaches 75 °C.
Steaming
To steam leftover rice, use a steamer basket over boiling water or a dedicated rice cooker with a steam function. Add a small amount of water to the rice, cover, and steam for around 5 minutes until it reaches 75 °C.
Stir-frying
Stir frying is a good way to safely reheat rice whilst adding flavour. Add oil to a hot pan, then your rice, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. As always, ensure the rice is heated evenly to 75 °C.
Summary
Cool cooked rice and refrigerate within an hour of cooking for optimal safety. Reheat leftover rice within 24 hours of cooking and ensure it reaches 75 °C throughout. Following these guidelines will reduce the risk of food poisoning from leftover rice.
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