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Charleston Red Rice

Chef Way
It’s Fluffy, never mushy, perfectly cooked.
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Equipment

  • 12 inch cast iron skillet
  • fine mesh strainer or colander
  • kitchen scale (optional)
  • precision scale (optional)
  • 12 inch pot lid with vent hole (optional)

Ingredients
  

Salted Water

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 12 c water

Red Rice

  • 440 g Carolina gold rice (2 c)
  • 27 g red palm oil (2 tbsp)
  • 12 oz smoked sausage, half circle sliced (340 g)
  • 1 green bell pepper, small diced (155 g)
  • 1 medium onion, small diced 227 g
  • 6 oz tomato paste 175 g
  • sugar a pinch or two
  • 6 cloves garlic (~30 g)
  • 4 slices hickory smoked bacon, thick cut, sliced into lardons (150 g)
  • 25 g Cajun seasoning (2 tbsp)
  • 4 g MSG, optional (1 tsp)
  • 1.5 g fresh cracked black pepper, and more to taste (1 tsp)

2 cups of tomato broth

  • 482 g water (2 c)
  • ~8 g tomato bouillon (2 tsp)

Garnish

  • 6 scallions, sliced

Instructions
 

Parboiling the Carolina gold rice

  • Bring the salted water up to a boil at the same time as you place your 12 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and Preheat it 350°F.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer or fine mesh colander into the sink. The strainer or colander should be able to hold the rice as you rinse it and not let any grains escape.
  • Once the water boils use your phone and set the time to 4 minutes 5 seconds.
  • When you press start on your timer pour the Carolina gold rice into the boiling salted water stirring vigorously with a silicone spatula to release excess starch from the rice.
  • As it boils stir once or twice more. As the time gets to the last 20 seconds you should be removing the pot from the stove and making your way to the sink to strain and rinse the rice.
  • Pour the parboiled rice into the colander inside of the sink and begin to rinse it with warm water. Your timer should go off as you begin to rinse the rice. (Follow these instructions on parboiling to the tee. Any variation in time spent par boiling will alter the result.)

Red Rice

  • Your skillet is now preheated properly. Place it on the stovetop over medium high heat and add the bacon and sausage to it.
  • To the bacon and sausage add about 1/4 c of water. Stir the bacon and sausage into the water. Adjust your heat if necessary, to account for any cooling of the pan from the water.
  • Cook the bacon and sausage until golden brown and crispy 8-12 minutes.
  • Leaving as much pork fat in the skillet as possible, remove the bacon and sausage with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate.
  • Do not turn down your heat. Immediately add the red palm oil to the skillet and let it melt into the pork fat.
  • Quickly add the bell pepper, onion, some of the Cajun seasoning, pepper, and MSG and sauté about 5-7 minutes over medium high heat, until slightly translucent.
  • Stir vigorously when you add the veggies to loosen up the fond on the pan created by the pork.
  • Next add the garlic. Sauté until fragrant about 20-30 seconds.
  • Add the tomato paste, and a pinch or two of sugar and stir until everything is evenly coated with tomato paste. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  • Now add the parboiled Carolina gold rice to the mixture along with the rest of the cajun seasoning, pepper and MSG.
  • Add the sausage and crispy bacon to the rice mixture and mix until the sausage and bacon are evenly distributed.
  • Stir until well coated. Do not use a heavy hand or you will break the grains up. 1m 30 seconds total for this step. Spread the mixture in the pan until it is one layer.
  • Add the tomato broth to the rice mixture, gently stir to combine.
  • While stirring gently scrape the bottom of the pan to release the fond into the stock.
  • Bring to a boil and cover with a top.
  • Place the red rice in the 350℉ oven for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Fluff the rice and let rest for 15 minutes uncovered.
  • Mix in some scallion and enjoy.