Cajun rice or “dirty rice” is a well loved New Orleans dish and a Louisiana classic, with as many different recipes as there are cooks. Traditional Dirty Rice uses chopped chicken livers which gives it a distinctive flavor and a dark color dubbing it “dirty” rice. It typically includes the trinity with da’ Pope, which is diced bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic. This is my favorite version.

Ingredients

1 lb bulk pork breakfast sausage (jimmy dean, hot or mild)
1 lb chicken livers, chopped fine or ground
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce (lea & perrins)
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 stalk(s) celery, chopped fine
2 c converted long grain rice (zatarain’s or uncle ben’s)
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
3 clove or “toes” garlic, minced
salt, black & cayenne pepper to taste
1 can(s) (14.5 oz) low sodium beef broth
1 can(s) (14.5 oz) low sodium chicken broth
3-4 oz water or as needed
2 tsp cajun/creole seasoning, or to taste
1/2 tsp sage *see cook’s notes
2-3 bay leaves
1 1/2 c fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage, beef, and livers until no pink remains. Drain all but 3 Tbsp from the pan. (If sausage is very lean add bacon grease or butter to pan to make 3 Tbsp.)
2. Add the bell pepper, onions, and celery. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the veggies begin to soften and brown. Add the rice, green onions, and garlic; continue to stir for 1-2 minutes until the rice begins to toast or turn brown.
4. Add the worcestershire sauce, beef & chicken stock, creole seasoning, sage, and bay leaves. Mix well, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Cook until the rice is fully tender and the broth has been absorbed. Stir well and remove from heat, then stir in the chopped parsley.
6. *Cooks Notes: Don’t let the Sage scare you off because you don’t taste the small amount of sage in this recipe but it does make a difference in the taste, so don’t leave it out. I personally do not like sage in anything, but this recipe is the
New Orleans Dirty Rice or Cajun Rice Recipeexception. Some people like to put diced pork or Andouille sausage in their Dirty Rice, which is fine – almost anything goes, however, adding sausage or tomatoes will lean the dish towards a Jambalaya. Dirty Rice shouldn’t be too wet or gummy, the grains should separate easily and still be moist enough to hold together on your fork.