Risengrød (Danish Rice Porridge)
Prep 5 min Total 2 hr
Risengrød — with a knob of butter © kvalifood.com
Recipe with video — In theory it should trace back to our peasant ancestors. But why they would eat Asian rice instead of porridge made from a Danish grain variety, I have no idea. It doesn’t add up… Actually I do know why. Risengrød arrived in the late 1800s when wealthy city folk wanted to show off. A Christmas tree in the living room? Rice instead of barley. What will they think of next? So out with the fine china and ladle up the porridge. The nisse is up in the attic… ha! He was in the parlour, as it happens. But he still got his cinnamon sugar and pat of butter.
Ingredients
rice porridge
- 1 l milk
- 110 g pudding rice (1 1/4 dl)
- ½ tsp salt
cinnamon sugar
- 1 part cinnamon to 6 parts sugar (1 tsp cinnamon / 2 tbsp sugar)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
Put the rice porridge in the oven in a pot or an ovenproof dish.
Bake for 2 hours. If you put it in a cold oven, give it 10 more minutes.
Stir occasionally to check it isn’t catching on the bottom. About every 30 minutes is usually fine.
Notes
The biggest problem with rice porridge is that it scorches. This can only happen when the milk and rice are heated above 265°F (130°C). That’s why it’s practical to make it in an oven set to a lower temperature. You only need to stir it a couple of times and you don’t really need to think about it otherwise.
If you absolutely want to make it on the stovetop, there are a few ways to go about it:
- Bring the milk to a boil. Add the rice, then put the pot to bed wrapped in duvets for about an hour. This is the haybox principle and is especially well suited for rice porridge, which would otherwise scorch easily. Bring it to a boil again (remove it from the bed first) and let it simmer until it reaches the right consistency.
- Bring to a boil and let it simmer over very low heat for about 50 minutes, stirring frequently. It sounds simple, but avoiding scorching is harder than it looks.
Has it scorched on the bottom? Check whether it tastes burnt. If it does, throw it out and start over. If there’s no time to start over, make open-faced sandwiches instead. Burnt milk cannot be saved.
If the problem is only at the bottom of the pot, pour it into a new pot and keep simmering. A heavy-bottomed pot distributes heat better, which can help — and stir more often while you’re at it.
Addition: I recently made a batch of 4 liters at 210°F (100°C). It was done after 4 hours and 40 minutes.
See Also
Rhubarb Porridge - with Plenty of Cream
