Don’t worry; it’s only a name. Dirty rice isn’t actually dirty—it’s called that because the chicken gizzards and livers it’s traditionally made with gives it a brown or “dirty” color. This recipe does not call for the liver and gizzards. Most common in regions of Southern Louisiana and Mississippi, it’s similar to pilaf in its use of the holy trinity of New Orleans cooking—green bell pepper, celery and onion. Then meat is added, and the whole thing is garnished with green onions and parsley. Making dirty rice is very time consuming so we came up with a way that is a little easier and does not take as much time.

Easy Dirty Rice

Get-
1 12 ounce package Zatarain’s Dirty Rice Mix
1 pound ground pork (Breakfast bulk sausage works great)
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons oil
1½ tablespoons flour
½ cup onion, minced
1 rib celery, minced
¼ cup bell pepper, minced
½ tablespoon garlic, minced
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
½ cup green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Hot Sauce to taste

Make it–
Lightly brown ground pork and ground beef and drain leaving drippings in pot. Set meat aside. In the same pot you browned your meat in, make a roux by mixing oil and flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly using wooden spoon. Let cook until roux is the color of peanut butter.
When roux is finished, stir in onion and allow to brown, leaving heat on low. Next add your celery, bell pepper and garlic. Add Rice Mix and stir for 5 minutes to toast rice. Then add your ground beef and pork and stir for an additional 4 minutes. Stir in broth; allow mixture to come to a boil. Cover with lid and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with green onion and parsley just before serving.