Charleston Red Rice

Gullah

We call it ‘Red Rice’ and no family gathering or get together would be complete without this simple dish. Nobody can make it like my Nanny, my grandmother. She was raised in Charleston, South Carolina in a large blue collar family. I’m guessing rice was a regular dish on the dinner table. One of the best things about this dish is that it’s even better on the second day.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of plain white rice
• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tablespoon of bacon grease. (You can add a bit more to taste but not too much)
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper ( this can be to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt ( not less but you can do more to taste)
• 1/8 cup finely chopped onions ( again that’s a minimum you can add more)

Description:

1. Put ALL of the ingredients into the proper size saucepan.
   Bring it to a boil then take it down to a simmer.
2. Stir it. Cover it. After the 5 minutes give it a good stir.
3. Cover it and let it cook untouched for 15 minutes.
4. Take it off the heat. Stir it. Cover it. Let sit for 5 more minutes unbothered.
5. Should be ready to go.

Some recipes call for celery and peppers. That’s up to you. The key is moisture content so remember the cooking time could change if you add or subtract moisture.

Submitted by:

Thomas Family