Dirty rice is a Louisiana creole rice recipe that is made by cooking white rice together with minced beef, pork, chicken, or giblets (chicken livers, heart, neck, or gizzard). Vegetables such as celery, onions, and green bell peppers are often used in making dirty rice recipes. It is also spiced with cayenne pepper and black pepper powder; dirty rice can be garnished with chopped parsley or green onions (spring onions).
The dirty rice recipe is most common in the southern parts of Louisiana especially in the Creole regions but can also be found in the southern parts of America where it is also called the Chicken and rice recipe or Rice Dressing.
Table of Contents
What is dirty rice?
Dirty rice is a dish made with cooked white rice and small pieces of pork, chicken, or giblets and then seasoned and spiced with cayenne and black pepper. When cooked, this rice recipe appears “dirty” when seen but that does not mean the rice was unhygienic or made in an unhygienic way. The seasonings, vegetables, and minced meat that were used give it the dirty-looking appearance from the name is derived.
Ingredients
- 1 and a half cup of soaked white rice. Make sure you soak the white rice 15 or 20 minutes prior to cooking it.
- 500 grams of minced beef.
- 4 cups of beef broth.
- 1 chopped green bell pepper and 1 small onion (chopped)
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of black pepper and 1 tsp of smoked paprika powder.
- 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
- 1 tsp of beef bouillon, 1 tsp of allspice, and 1 tsp of creole seasoning. Creole seasoning is just a combination of paprika, thyme, onion, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, and smoked pepper.
- 1/4 tsp of red chili flakes and 1/4 tsp of ginger powder.
- 1 chopped celery stick
- 1/4 tsp of dried thyme and 1/4 tsp of grated nutmeg.
- 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
How to Make Dirty Rice from Scratch
- Place a pan on the heat and then add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil to it.
- Once the oil is heated, bring in the minced beef and fry while stirring until the beef is no longer pink in color,
- You can now shift the beef to one side of the pan and then go in with your chopped green and red bell peppers, celery, and onions. Stir the vegetables only and let them cook on low heat until they are all soft.
- After 4 minutes, the vegetables should have been soft, go in with 2 minced garlic cloves.
- Saute the garlic for 2 minutes and then stir the vegetables and the minced beef together and then seasoned with 1 tsp of beef seasoning cube (beef bouillon), 1/4 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of creole seasoning, allspice, ginger powder, and any other seasoning or spices.
- Add the soaked white rice (but first, drain the water first). Toast the rice together with the vegetables, meat, and seasonings for about 5 minutes. This gives your rice a toasted flavor.
- After toasting the rice, add 4 cups of beef broth, stir to combine, and then add 2 bay leaves and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes on medium heat.
- 40 minutes later, the liquid should have dried up, take out the bay leaves and garnish it with chopped parsley. Turn off the heat and your easy rice dressing recipe is ready.
This recipe is similar to the Nigerian jollof rice but the latter has fewer ingredients.
Why is dirty rice called dirty?
It is called dirty rice because it appears dirty when seen but that does not mean the rice is unhygienic or unhealthy to eat. The name was derived from the appearance because of the ingredients used in preparing the rice recipe.
What goes with dirty rice?
This rice recipe can be eaten with steamed vegetables such as carrots or green beans. It is usually eaten as a main dish.
What is the difference between dirty rice and rice dressing?
Dirty rice and rice dressing refer to the same rice recipe but the difference lies in the fact that dirty rice is known in the southern regions of America as rice dressing; again in the rice dressing recipe, ground beef or ground pork is used whereas in the dirty rice recipe in other regions, ground beef, ground pork or giblets can be used.