Dig in to Dirty Rice

By
Angie Windheim
– February 9, 2011Posted in: Recipes

Such pretty ingredients in "Dirty Rice"

I proudly admit that sometimes I find great recipes on the back of a box.

While I haven’t gone as far as “Hamburger Helper,” I frequently enjoy cooking up the Zatarain’s New Orleans-inspired rice meals.

My family’s new favorite is Dirty Rice. I grab the box and take it a step or two further using a slightly adapted version of the Dulac Dirty Rice recipe on the Zatarain’s website.

The add-ins are nothing I would have thought of on my own and make an interesting and wonderful taste combination. The pecans add a great texture and crunch. The bacon satisfies the salt cravings (everything’s better with bacon). And raisins add soft bursts of sweetness.

I love recipes that feature my homemade raisins.

I do love any excuse to feature my super-yummy homemade raisins.

Ingredients List

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 package ZATARAIN’S® Dirty Rice Mix, Original
  • 1/2 cup chopped bacon (I start with Kirkland pre-cooked bacon)
  • 1/4 cup pecan pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Method

Cook ground beef in large, deep skillet on medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat and set aside.

Add water to same skillet and bring to boil. Stir in rice mix and ground beef and return to boil.

Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

While the rice is cooking, crisp up your bacon pieces in a separate skillet over medium heat. Only a few minutes for pre-cooked bacon and up to 7 minutes for un-cooked bacon. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings, and set aside.

Add pecans to bacon drippings and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add pecans into the rice mixture.

Now melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add bell peppers, onions and raisins. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add to rice mixture and stir until well mixed.

When rice is fully cooked and tender, remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon before serving.