Savannah Red Rice

This version of the classic rice dish is from Steven Satterfield, executive chef/owner of Miller Union in Atlanta. He recommends using Carolina Gold rice, an heirloom variety of long-grain rice hand-harvested by Anson Mills.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons bacon drippings
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup diced celery (inner leaves included)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons (plus one teaspoon) kosher salt, or more to taste
• 2 cups canned organic whole plum tomatoes (with their juice), chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons vinegar or cider vinegar (if you use cider vinegar, add a pinch of red pepper

flakes)

• 1 ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dried chiles d’arbol, chopped, or pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 cups raw Carolina Gold long-grain rice
• ½ pound andouille or chorizo sausage, grilled and sliced
• 1 pound shrimp, ½-inch thick, preferably fresh, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions

1. 44
2. Heat 2 tablespoons each of the bacon drippings and butter in a medium saucepan over
3. medium heat until foamy. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the salt and
4. cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are tender. Add the tomatoes, stock, vinegar,
5. another tablespoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, the thyme, bay leaves, and chiles
6. and simmer for 15-20 minutes, tasting for seasoning.
7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons bacon drippings and 2 tablespoons of the butter together
8. in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until foamy. Add the rice and cook, stirring
9. frequently, until it is opaque, 5-6 minutes. This step is very important to the final flavor of the
10. dish, so don’t stint on the time but also don’t let the rice burn.
11. Add 4 cups of the tomato mixture to the rice, stir to combine, and cover. Set a timer and
12. cook the rice for 25 minutes over very low heat. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. After 25 minutes,
13. turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 5 more minutes. AGAIN, DO NOT LIFT THE LID. In
14. the meantime, add the sausage to the remaining tomato mixture in the saucepan, cover,

and keep warm over very low heat.

1. While the rice is sitting, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium sauté pan over
2. medium-high heat until foamy. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until just cooked through;
3. add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the shrimp to the sausage

and tomato mixture and stir to combine.

1. Pour the shrimp and sausage mixture over the rice. Gently fluff the rice (you don’t want to
2. break the grains) to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

From the Lodge Cast Iron cookbook I picked up during my visit to the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (June 2026). Contributed by Steven Satterfield. Recommended cookware: Cast Iron Covered.