Dirty Rice with Ground Beef (Print version)

Rich, spiced dirty rice with ground beef, Cajun seasoning, and the classic holy trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery. One pan, 40 minutes.

# Ingredients:

For the beef and aromatics

01 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
02 - 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, 80/20
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 3 stalks celery, finely diced
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

Spices

07 - 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

Rice and liquid

12 - 1 1/2 cups (280 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
13 - 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) beef broth

To finish

14 - 3 green onions, thinly sliced
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Instructions:

01 - Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 6-8 minutes until fully browned. Drain most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
02 - Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
03 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds until the spices bloom.
04 - Stir the uncooked rice into the pan and coat it in the fat. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and cook for 18-20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
06 - Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, taste and adjust salt and cayenne, then stir in the sliced green onions and fresh parsley. Serve hot.

# Good to know:

01 - The deep brown color of the rice comes from absorbing beef fat and Cajun spices during cooking.
02 - Leftovers taste better the next day once the spices have had time to mellow and deepen.

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