Learn how to do anything: How to Make Red Rice

Given its bold color, red rice definitely makes a statement on any table. Because there are several variations of this tasty side dish, it can also complement a wide variety of main courses. Whether you want to make the spicy Mexican version, the Chamorro Red Rice for a barbecue, or Charleston Red Rice to serve with your favorite Southern main dish, the trick is getting the color right and cooking the rice to the right texture, which is easy to do if you have the right ingredients.

EditIngredients

Mexican Red Rice

1 cup (237 ml) chicken stock
2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil
2 serrano chiles, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ small white onion, minced
2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen, thawed peas
1 15 ounce (28 g) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chamorro Red Rice

3 cups (555 g) white rice
1 tablespoon (15 g) Dashida seasoning
1 tablespoon (15 g) bacon fat
¼ (1.25 g) teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 g) chopped garlic
4 stalks green onions, chopped
1 packet achiote powder
3 ½ cups (828 ml) hot water

Charleston Red Rice

4 strips of bacon, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
1 6 ounce (170 g) can tomato paste
2 ¼ cups (532 ml) water
3 teaspoons (15 g) salt
2 teaspoons (10 g) sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) pepper
1 cup (185 g) long grain rice
8 tablespoons (120 g) bacon grease (optional)

EditSteps

EditMaking Mexican Red Rice

Puree the chicken stock and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. In the pitcher of a blender, combine 1 cup (237 ml) of chicken stock with 1 15 ounce (28 g) can of whole peeled tomatoes in juice. Puree the mixture until it is completely smooth, and then set aside.^[1]
- If you have a hand blender, you can puree the stock and tomatoes in a bowl or pot.
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of canola oil to a 4 quart (3.7 L) saucepan. Turn the burner to medium-high, and allow the oil to heat until it’s hot or starts to shimmer, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.^[2]
- You can substitute vegetable oil for the canola oil if you prefer.
Add the chiles, garlic, and onion, and cook until soft. Once the oil is hot, mix in 2 serrano chiles that have been cut in half lengthwise and seeded, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and half a small white onion that’s been minced. Cook the mixture on medium-high until it’s soft, which should take approximately 4 minutes.^[3]
- Make sure to wash your hands after handling the serrano chiles because the oils from the skin of the chiles can irritate your skin and eyes.^[4]
Mix in the rice, and cook until golden brown. When the chiles, garlic, and onion are soft, stir 2 cups (370 g) of long-grain white rice into the pan. Allow it to cook until the rice grains become golden brown, which should take approximately 6 minutes.^[5]
- Stir the rice occasionally while it’s cooking to ensure that it doesn’t burn.
Stir in the tomato mixture, peas, and salt and pepper to taste. When the rice has turned golden brown, add the tomato and broth mixture, 1 cup (150 g) of frozen peas that have been thawed, and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste to the pan. Mix well so all of the ingredients are well blended.^[6]
- You can also add a couple of carrots that have been peeled and cut into cubes to the rice if you desire.
Reduce the heat and cook until the rice is tender. Lower the burner’s heat to low, and allow the mixture to cook until the rice becomes tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. It usually takes approximately 15 minutes for the rice to fully cook.^[7]
- Be sure to cover the pan while the rice is cooking for the final time. That traps the steam, which helps cook the rice.
Remove the pot from the heat and fluff the rice before serving. Once the rice is finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat and use a fork to gently fluff the rice. Next, transfer it to a serving dish and serve alongside your favorite Mexican main dish.^[8]

EditCooking Chamorro Red Rice

Add all of the ingredients to a rice cooker and stir well. In your rice cooker, combine 3 cups (555 g) of white rice, 1 tablespoon (15 g) of Dashida seasoning, 1 tablespoon (15 g) of bacon fat, ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) of black pepper, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of chopped garlic, 4 green onion stalks that have been chopped, 1 packet achiote powder, and 3 ½ cups (828 ml) of hot water. Stir well until all of the ingredients are combined.^[9]
- You can use long or medium grain rice.
- Make sure to rinse the rice in cool water and drain well before adding it to the rice cooker.
- Dashida seasoning is a beef seasoning that’s similar to bouillon. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores.
- You can substitute olive or vegetable oil for the bacon fat if you prefer.
- Achiote powder is often sold as ground annatto in the spice aisle of the grocery store.
Turn the rice cooker setting to Cook, and stir it periodically as it cooks. Follow your rice cooker’s instructions to turn it on and activate the Cook setting. Stir the rice after 2 minutes of cooking and then again after another 5 minutes of cooking. Once you’ve stirred it twice and have ensured that the achiote powder has colored all of the rice, you can leave the dish to cook the rest of the way.^[10]
- Allow the rice to cook until your cooker goes into the Warm or Keep Warm setting, which typically takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the rice from the rice cooker and serve. When your rice cooker indicates that the rice is done, transfer it to a serving dish or platter. Serve it alongside your favorite meat dish while still warm.^[11]

EditPreparing Charleston Red Rice

Fry the bacon, and set aside. In a large skillet, cook 4 strips of bacon that have been cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces on medium-low heat. Allow the bacon to cook until it is crisp, and then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to set aside until later.^[12]
- You can substitute turkey bacon for regular bacon if you prefer.
- Don’t drain off the bacon fat when you remove the bacon pieces. You’ll need the grease for the rest of the recipe.
Saute the onions in the bacon grease. Once you’ve removed the bacon from the pan, add 2 finely chopped onions to the skillet. Saute the onions in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until they become tender, which should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes.^[13]
- You can add 1 stalk of diced celery and 1 small diced green pepper to the onions if you want to include more vegetables in the dish.
Add the tomato paste, water, salt, sugar, and pepper to the pan, and bring to a boil. When the onion is tender, mix a 6 ounce (170 g) can of tomato paste, 2 ¼ cups (532 ml) of water, 3 teaspoons (15 g) of salt, 2 teaspoons (10 g) of sugar, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of black pepper into the skillet. Allow the mixture to cook on medium-high until it comes to a boil, which should take approximately 3 minutes.^[14]
Mix in the rice, and bring to a boil again. Once the skillet comes to a boil, add 1 cup (185 g) of long grain rice. Stir the rice into the mixture well until it’s fully incorporated, and then allow it to come to a boil again, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.^[15]
- When you add the rice, you can also stir in up to 8 tablespoons (120 g) of bacon fat. That will help deepen the smoky flavor of the finished rice.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed. After the rice mixture has come to a boil, turn the burner’s heat down to low and cover the skillet. Cook the rice until it is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, which should take approximately 15 minutes.^[16]
- If you don’t have a lid for your skillet, you can place a baking sheet or a piece of foil across the top to help trap the steam.
Stir in crumbled bacon and serve. When the rice is finished cooking, remove the skillet from the burner. Fluff the rice with a fork, and stir in the cooked bacon pieces until they are well incorporated. Serve the rice with your favorite Southern main course.^[17]