Mexican-Style Pork and Rice Casserole

Submitted by Gnat B. Myers

"I created this recipe when I had a surplus of country style ribs and a family sick of eating ribs. It's like carnitas de puerco and spanish rice all in one dish. My family loved it, so I'm writing it down. Feel free to use a whole bunch of onions and/or 8 oz of mushrooms. I was just using what I had on hand."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 1 9
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 2 -3 lbs boneless country-style ribs, sliced crosswise in 1/2-inch slices
• 1⁄2 bunch green onion, sliced thinly
• 1⁄2 bell pepper, minced
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 4 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1⁄2 cups rice
• 3 1⁄2 cups water
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and turn down to a simmer.
3. Brown pork in a skillet over medium-high heat. Do this in batches so as not to crowd your pan. Remove pork to a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
4. Saute your vegetables in the pork fat which has accumulated in your skillet, scraping the pan to get all the good stuff.
5. Add rice and stir to coat grains with fat; then add tomato paste, spices and salt and stir to combine.
6. Add rice mixture to pork in casserole.
7. Pour most of the water over the pork and rice, saving about 1/2 cup to deglaze your skillet. Pour water from skillet to casserole and stir to combine.
8. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven to bake about 45 minutes, until pork and rice are tender (don't check before 30 minutes).