Oh man, I had the exact same thing happen with risotto! I used to rinse the arborio rice like crazy, worried about the starch. But then I tried it straight from the bag, and that creamy sauce just came together so much better. It's wild how a "rule" we all follow can actually work against the dish. Totally get what you mean about the grains holding their shape while still soaking up all that flavor.

Missing stall just means less bark but juicier meat, right?