How to Make Dirty Rice

Now that we have all the ingredients, it’s time to make the dirty rice! Dirty rice can be made in just one pan, making it ideal as a one-pot dish if you’re not up to washing numerous pots and pans. 

Step 1. Pour the broth into a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pan and set it over medium high heat. For this recipe, we used chicken broth but you can also use beef broth as a substitute. Bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add in the chicken gizzards. Reduce the heat to low and simmer it for around 30 minutes.

Step 2. Remove the gizzards from the broth and mince it finely. Set the broth aside to use for later. Afterward, use a Dutch oven or a flameproof casserole and set it over medium heat. Add the bacon grease or oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the ground pork and minced gizzards.

Step 3. Cook the ground pork and gizzards, stirring constantly until it’s browned. Reduce heat and add the onion, celery, garlic, and bell peppers. You can use a mixture of red and green pepper but for this recipe, we only made use of green pepper. Add salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 

Step 4. Add the rice. You can make use of any long-grain white rice that you prefer but for this recipe, we used Basmati rice. Add the bay leaves as well and pour in the reserved chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

Step 5. Stir your mixture, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer it until rice is cooked or about 15 minutes. Add and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a separate skillet. 

Step 6. Add in the minced chicken liver to the butter and sauté together for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the minced chicken livers to the rice in the larger pot and taste. If you find that the flavor is not up to par with your preferences, feel free to add more salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning as you please.

Step 7. Cover the Dutch oven or pan and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes minimum, 10 minutes maximum. For additional flavor, garnish with green onions on top before serving.

Leftover dirty rice can be stored in an airtight container to be kept in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. You can also plan ahead and freeze dirty rice for a quick lunch or dinner. To reheat, you can microwave dirty in 60 second intervals, stirring it often to make sure everything is warmed through. You can also warm up the rice dish over a stove while stirring often as well. Garnish with green onion after to maximize the flavor.