Fluff the Rice and Serve. Stir the reserved bacon into the rice. Fluff with a fork and serve your red rice! Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. I’ve enjoyed many rice dishes, but first encountered this particular version of red rice while visiting the beaches of the American south, and fell in love with it. This is how I like to make my version. Some recipes cook the rice in a baking dish, but I prefer a simple stovetop recipe in a covered pan, where the rice absorbs all those wonderful spices and flavors. You may have heard it also referred to as Carolina red rice, lowcountry red rice, or simply “red rice”. The dish has Caribbean, European, and West African influences, and is a staple of Gullah cuisine, a unique blend of African American culture and cuisine found in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. The dish is big on flavor, and perfectly at home in any spicy food lover’s kitchen. Let’s talk about how to make red rice, shall we? Cook the Bacon. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook for 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon. Remove the bacon and set aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve the bacon grease in the pan. Cook the Vegetables. Add the onion, peppers, and celery. Cook 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant. NOTE: It is best to rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This removes much of the outer starches in the rice, resulting in fluffier rice. Tomatoes, Spices, and Stock. Add the tomatoes, Cajun seasonings, salt and pepper, and chicken broth, and hot sauce to taste. Stir to incorporate. Do not stir the rice while cooking. Just let it absorb the liquid and all those flavors. If the rice gets too dry, add a few tablespoons of extra chicken broth or water. Rest the Rice. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Any remaining liquid will absorb into the rice. Boom! Done! Your Charleston red rice is ready to serve. Pretty easy, isn’t it? Time to eat! What are you serving with yours? That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this easy red rice recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how you served yours, and which spices you used. You can also serve Charleston red rice as a main dish by including lots of smoked andouille sausage to round out the meal. You can also freeze cooked rice for 1 month. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
The Southerner’s Cookbook: Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories (affiliate link, my friends!) North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time, by Bob Gardner (affiliate link, my friends!)
