Homemade Dirty Rice

 

Main course, side dish, delicious snack. Dirty rice hits all the right notes. Today, I made it to go along with some Peruvian chicken and humus, which I'd made and shared the recipe for before.

Now, sadly I didn't take photos from start to finish, and in hindsight, oops, my bad. But here's a photo to hopefully get you intrigued enough to keep reading.

Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Beef or Andouille Sausage (if you want it spicier - or half and half if you want both)
1 Onion  - Diced
1 Bell Pepper - Diced (any color)
1 Cup Celery - Diced
3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
2 Teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Rice
3 Cups Beef Broth

Let's get this going by making our Cajun seasoning. Sure, you can buy it from your local grocery store's spice isle. However, if you have a variety of spices, chances are you've already got the ingredients in your house.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Paprika
2 Tablespoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon White Pepper
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Cayenne
1/2 Tablespoon Thyme

Simply measure the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. You can put this in a jar, bag, or plastic container, and it will last quite a long time.

You've got two ways you can cook this. Either in the oven, or on the stove. If cooking in the oven, preheat to 350 degrees.

Measure out your beef broth, and add your garlic, salt and Cajun seasoning. Give it a good stir, and set it aside.

In a large skillet, add your ground beef / sausage, and let it start to brown a bit. As it's just about done, add your diced peppers, onions and celery, and stir it until the vegetables sweat. You don't need to cook your meat all the way through, because it's going to simmer with everything.

Speaking of which, add your beef broth / spice mixture to the pan, and bring it to a boil. If cooking it in the oven, cover the pan with tin foil, and place a lid on top of this. Fold the foil over the lid, and place the pan in the oven, and leave it alone for thirty minutes.

If cooking on the stove, reduce the heat to low, cover with just a lid, and let it simmer for twenty-five to thirty minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. You may need to add additional beef broth if cooking on the stove, as it will evaporate faster. However, you shouldn't need more than 1/2 a cup of extra liquid.

When it's done cooking, let it sit on top of the stove for ten minutes, leaving the lid and foil in place. After which, remove and stir.

Serve it up with your favorite food, or dig in as is. Like I said, it makes a great side dish or meal on its own.

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