Georgetown Red Rice

Georgetown red rice is the Lowcountry South Carolina answer to Charleston red rice, with both dishes claiming bragging rights as the soul of South Carolina coastal cooking. The technique is the same wherever you go in the Lowcountry: rice cooked in tomato-tinted broth with bacon and onions until each grain stains red and absorbs the smoky, savory flavors.

The bacon drippings are the foundation. Don’t be tempted to drain them or substitute oil. The rendered pork fat is what gives the rice its characteristic smoky depth, and bacon-fat-cooked onions taste different than oil-cooked onions in a way you’ll notice immediately.

Ketchup might raise eyebrows, but it’s traditional and it works. The sweet-tangy backbone fills in for what fresh tomatoes lack out of season, and it concentrates flavor in a way pure tomato can’t. Canned diced tomatoes work alongside it; don’t use raw tomatoes year-round.

Keep the lid on once the rice goes in. Stirring releases starch and turns the dish gummy. Just check at the bottom of cook time and trust the steam. Five minutes of resting off the heat before fluffing is the final secret.

Pro Tips

• Use long-grain white rice. Short-grain rice goes sticky and basmati gets too floral for the southern flavor profile.
• Toast the rice in the bacon fat for two minutes before adding liquid. This deepens the nutty rice flavor and prevents clumping.
• Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce for a Lowcountry kick.

Variations

• Add cooked Andouille sausage or smoked ham for a heartier version.
• Stir in a cup of cooked shrimp at the end for shrimp red rice (a Charleston classic).
• Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or scallions for color and brightness.