Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Long-grain white rice (Uncooked)
  • 3 cups Chicken or Beef Broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • ½ lb Ground Pork (or mixture of pork/beef)
  • 4 oz Chicken Livers (optional, finely minced)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (Finely diced)
  • 2 stalks Celery (Finely diced)
  • 1 medium Green Bell Pepper (Finely diced)
  • 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
  • 1 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 large Bay Leaf
  • Kosher Salt (to taste)
  • Black Pepper (freshly cracked, to taste)
  • ¼ cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped, for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the uncooked rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground pork (and liver, if using). Cook, breaking it up well, until deeply browned and rendered. Remove meat with a slotted spoon, reserving the rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper (The Holy Trinity) to the reserved fat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook slowly, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and translucent.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to create a light paste coating the vegetables.
  5. Return the cooked meat to the pot. Stir well. Pour in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and add the bay leaf. Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a rolling simmer.
  6. Stir in the rinsed rice, ensuring it is evenly distributed. Once the liquid returns to a simmer, immediately cover the pot tightly with a lid.
  7. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting possible. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat completely. Let the pot stand, still covered, for another 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
  9. Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, mixing the meat and vegetables throughout. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish generously with fresh parsley before serving.