Tag Archives: Dirty Rice

My family loves spicy food, especially Creole and Cajun. One of our favorite dishes is Dirty Rice. Traditionally, Dirty Rice is made with rice and leftover livers, gizzards, and hearts from poultry. There is plenty of bacon fat and butter, too. Because I’m the only one in the family who will eat liver, and because we try to follow a heart-healthy diet, I’ve had to lean up and clean up traditional recipes.

Here is my version of Dirty Rice. I use the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, but I’ve made it in my cast iron dutch oven, stovetop, too. Just add cooking time and a bit more broth if you aren’t pressure cooking.

RECIPE

Not-too-dirty Rice

Makes 4 meal servings or 8 side servings

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces turkey sausage
• 1 Tbsp. safflower or Canola oil + 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups medium grain brown rice (white rice will overcook)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced (should be green, but we like red)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. dried Cajun seasoning mix
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat pot without the lid using the sauté setting. When it’s hot, add the oil and butter.
2. Brown the ground turkey sausage.
3. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and rice. Sauté.
4. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning mix, remove from heat (hit “cancel”) and stir to “bloom” the spices.
5. Pour in the broth and deglaze any cooked-on goodness to enhance flavor.  Secure lid to cooker, and set for 20 minutes (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for 15 minutes).
6. When cooking time is up, remove from heat (hit “cancel” and unplug), and allow pressure to drop on its own a minimum of 10 minutes.
7. Release any remaining pressure. Carefully open lid and stir to fluff the rice.
8. Taste test and add salt or pepper as needed.
9. Serve as a side or main dish. Be sure to bake cornbread to go with it.

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