How to Make Puerto Rican Rice With Pork

This Puerto Rican rice with pork is one of the first things we learned how to make in our familia kitchen. This dish will go with just about everything you serve on the Boricua family table.

It’s rico, auténtico y fácil — delicious, authentic and easy. Emphasis on easy.

Serve it with these easy and delicious Puerto Rican beans.

In our series on the most essential and simple recipes in Latino cuisine, this Abuela Cooking 101 spotlights the arroz that Puerto Ricans have been whipping up in their cocinas for generations. Start by cooking tocino or salt pork to get that deep, salty-hearty flavor that makes this side dish an island favorite.

For more Puerto Rican traditional recipes, check out: Michelle’s Familia Kitchen Recipe Contest-winning arroz con pollo, picadillo, pastelón (Puerto Rican lasagna made with plantain strips, fried and stuffed alcapurrias y mucho mas!

Hungry for Comforting Puerto Rican Rice With Pork?

How to Make Puerto Rican Rice With Pork

Recipe by Michelle Ezratty Murphy

0.0 from 0 votes

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 16 oz. tocino or salt pork, cubed

• 2 cups and 2 Tbsp medium grain or jasmine rice

• 5 Tbsp rendered fat from salt pork

• 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 3 cups water

Directions

• In a heavy pot with a lid, cook chopped tocino or pork salt on medium high heat until crispy.
• Drain pork, reserving the rendered fat.
• Rinse the rice.
• Return pork to pot and add rendered fat, salt and the rinsed rice. Stir until the rice is well coated.
• Add water. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes on medium heat—until most of the water is evaporated.
• Bring heat to lowest temperature possible, cover pot and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
• For pegao—a golden-brown, crispy bottom rice layer—cook for another 10 minutes. Otherwise, skip this step.
• Turn off heat, leaving lid on. Let steam for another 10-15 minutes.
• Lift lid, fluff with a fork, and it is ready to serve.

Notes

• Puerto Ricans love pegao—that beloved crunchy, golden-brown layer of rice at the bottom of your rice pan. Mmmm. I heartily recommend cooking your rice the extra 10 minutes. It will make your arroz that much more auténtico!