Arroz Congrí Oriental
El Caldero (Weeknight Arroz y Frijoles)
While the rest of the island might debate whether to use black beans or red, in the eastern provinces of Cuba, Congrí is strictly a red bean affair with deep Afro-Haitian roots. The traditional method takes all day, rendering pork fat and simmering dried beans to yield their dark, earthy broth. For a busy weeknight in the diaspora, we capture that exact, grandmother-approved depth using thick-cut bacon and the starchy liquid from high-quality canned beans. The secret to keeping the rice fluffy—what Cubans call desgranado—is toasting the grains in that rendered bacon fat before the liquids ever hit the pot. Keep it simple, trust the process, and let the caldero do the work.
Before you start
Wash the rice relentlessly.
Rinsing the long-grain white rice until the water runs completely clear is non-negotiable; it strips away the surface starch that would otherwise turn the final dish into a gummy, unappetizing mush.
Ingredients
- thick-cut smoked bacon8 oz
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1 med
- garlic cloves5 large
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- bay leaf1 large
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- long-grain white rice2 cup
- small red beans30 oz
- low-sodium chicken broth2 cup
Method
- 01
Render the pork fat to build your savory foundation.
Place a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, adding the chopped bacon and cooking slowly for about 8 to 10 minutes until the fat is fully rendered and the bits are deeply browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving all that liquid gold in the pot.
- 02
Sauté the sofrito until soft and intensely fragrant.
Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the hot bacon fat, cooking for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, and oregano, cooking for exactly one minute until wildly fragrant.
- 03
Toast the rice in the rendered bacon fat to guarantee a fluffy texture.
Pour the thoroughly drained long-grain white rice into the sofrito, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. You want every individual grain coated in the spiced bacon fat and slightly toasted, which creates a protective lipid barrier around the starch so your final dish remains perfectly separated.
- 04
Hydrate the grains and bring the pot to a rolling boil.
Pour in the entire contents of the canned red beans, including their essential starchy liquid, along with the chicken broth, bay leaf, and salt. Stir gently to ensure no rice is sticking to the bottom, then bring the mixture to a vigorous boil over medium-high heat.
- 05
Cover the pot tightly and let the caldero trap the steam.
Once the liquid reduces enough that it barely skims the top of the rice and crater-like holes form on the surface, immediately drop the heat to the absolute lowest setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let it steam completely undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes.
- 06
Fluff the rice and fold in the crispy bacon bits before serving.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes so the starches can set. Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf, gently fluff the dark, tender rice with a fork, and fold in the reserved bacon before serving immediately.
Notes
Seek out the proper peppers if you can find them.
If you have access to a good Latin grocer, swap the green bell pepper for four ají cachucha peppers. This mild, sweet chili provides the authentic aromatic backbone of the dish without adding any heat.
From Cook Cuban in America.