You're here for one of two main reasons: Someone gave you / you found at Whole Foods / you bought at some tourist trap something called "Carolina Gold Rice", OR you're wondering... can RICE really be delicious? I mean, we all know rice is good ... but can it be ... spectacular? heart-warming? life-changing?
Yes. Yes, it can.
Carolina Gold Rice. I walked by it a MILLION times in the grocery store living in South Carolina without ever considering making an actual purchase. It was stuff for tourists. Some gimmick. Oh, and it's expensive. I mean, who in their RIGHT MIND would pay over $6 for less than a pound OF RICE?!
As it turns out ... I would. A few years ago I became really interested in learning about different grains, particularly those from South Carolina and the South in general. Along with learning about those grains, I learned about how we changed them for mass production, and how many of the traditional recipes and cooking methods fell by the wayside in the process.
So I decided to bring them back, even if in my own kitchen only.
But now it's time to share. If you are asking yourself, even for a second, "Could rice ever be amazing? The star of the meal? Company worthy? Holiday worthy?" then you need to try this method.
If you don't live in South Carolina, where Carolina Gold Rice is readily available in pretty much every grocery store, not to mention the City Market and other tourist traps, you can and should buy it from Anson Mills here:
Carolina Gold Rice
That's not an affiliate link. I make no money if you buy it from there. I just think it's really really worth it to try. They do have a minimum order, so you might as well throw some grits and benne seeds in your bag while you're at it.
But anyway, the rice. MAKE THE RICE. And report back in the comments. And spread the word. Because everyone should know that rice used to be good and still can be rich, flavorful, and amazing.
📖 Recipe
Carolina Gold Rice
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- ½ Tablespoon salt
- 1 cup Carolina Gold Rice
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs optional
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil with the salt.
- While the water is coming to a boil, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or foil.
- Add 1 cup of Carolina Gold Rice to the water and stir. Bring the water back up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer between 12 and 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. If you are really using Carolina Gold Rice, it will take about 15 minutes. If you've decided to ignore the instruction to use this very specific, very special rice, you'll only have to boil it about 12 minutes.
- Drain the rice in a colander or fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- Spread the rice onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the rice for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and dot the rice with 2 Tablespoons of salted butter and sprinkle the black pepper over it. Bake for 5 more minutes.
- Stir to combine the melted butter, pepper, and rice, and serve immediately.
Notes
QJ says
I followed the recipe to the “T” and used Anson Mills rice. Perhaps it is supposed to be this way but I found it to be very tough. If not, where do you think I went wrong?
Marianne says
I also use the Anson Mills rice! Part of the charm of this rice is that it does dry out a little as it bakes, but the butter should counteract that and keep it from getting tough. I'm sorry to say that I'm not quite sure what might have happened 🙁
Erik says
It seems like a lot of water. 6 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. Is this correct?
Marianne says
Yes! You'll be boiling and straining the rice like pasta, which requires more water than the regular ratio when steaming rice.
Jessica says
Any idea if making this vegan with olive oil would ruin it? I also wonder if my usual rice method of toasting the rice in oil prior to boiling would work okay. Thanks for any advice!
Marianne says
The butter is one of the key flavors. I don't think olive oil would ruin it, but instead I might try a plant based "butter" to keep the same flavor if you have it available.
I am not sure about toasting the rice - I have only ever done that with risotto!
Capt. Bushrod says
History lover, living in Pawleys Island for 40 years, hunting ducks in the old rice fields around Georgetown SC, and a rice lover, I've been a fan of Carolina Gold for many years, at least since as long as I've been a fan of Anson and GeeChee Boy mills. This is a good simple recipe that makes an excellent rice dish. Blend it with some GeeChee Boy black-eyed peas or better yet for some Sapelo Island Red Peas, and you have a Hopping John that will bring you luck all your life. Heck, we know that, we been living in the South all these years.
Capt. Bushrod
Barbara says
Wow, surprised when I saw on an Anthony Bourdain episode the beauty of Carolina Gold rice and when I searched recipes, yours came up first and your page opens up with insulting people for trying educate themselves and revive grains that have been dismissed. Will definitely leave your site.
Marianne says
You obviously didn't read the post.
DH says
I found the article sweet and heartwarming. I’m not sure which article ole Barbara was reading!
Marianne says
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment this! I really was confused by her comment as well. I only meant to laud the amazing grains of the past! Not tear anything or one down!