I've never put beef in my dirty rice, but I do put sausage. I generally serve it with red beans, but it can be a meal on its own, and I always make it with chilies, bell pepper, garlic, and Cajun herbs - oregano, thyme, and basil. We had Cajun food last week-end at the Ragin' Cajun in Redondo Beach, which included fried okra and fried alligator. I also had a shrimp and crab corn bisque.

Dirty rice is typically a side - alligator, a mess of boiled crawfish or frog's legs would be a good combo. My favorite at Ray-Hays (local name for Ragin' Cajun) is the crawfish pie.

No beef in the dirty rice, just andouille sausage sliced, not small.

Traditional dirty rice is made with chicken livers......ground beef or pork sausage is also often included. Andouille sausage is not a requirement!

I didn't say it was a requirement, I like mine with it and I've never seen one with ground beef.

I’ve never had it with ground beef either, but I guess it would make it a one-dish meal that way. Many people serve it as a side, often as a side with roast turkey or chicken instead of typical dressing at Thanksgiving.

I always have ground beef in mine, but meat is usually whatever is available in the true dirty rice. It was originally made with the left over organ Meats and scraps. Rice and the vegetables and Seasonings were added to the mix and you had a substantial, rib sticking meal for the family for cheap. So it was used frequently when there was little money or food. So pretty much anything goes. It's served as a side dish generally these days. I usually have it at all my big meals like Thanksgiving, Christmas, holidays and anniversary. Because it's requested. It should have onions and green onions in it also we love it with fried eggs. It's good with fried chicken or fried fish. So you see pretty much anything. Good luck! Enjoy!

Just scan through all these recipes on the search and you will see a large array of Meats and ingredients. Oh I forgot to mention I put diced bell pepper in it too.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cajun+dirty+rice+recipe&oq=Cajun+dir&aqs=chrome.1.0l2j69i65j69i57j0.7416j0j7&client=ms-android-asus&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

GardenGal, the recipe I have said that chicken livers are optional and I'm opting to keep them out! :-)

I like the idea of ground beef as well as the sausage, both.

Thanks Raven!

Did a quick check and even though I've never seen ground beef in dirty rice here's the expert and he does put in ground beef: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX3Y27LXFYw

What Raven said. Ground Beef. I lived in Cajun country for 10 yrs. and have a DIL born and raised there who makes the BEST Gumbo. . . . .Learned from her Cajun Step-Grandmother. And she makes Dirty Rice with ground beef.

I've made it with chicken livers but would probably like it better with sausage...or ground beef.

I was going to make it today, but made chicken with orzo and asparagus instead. The dirty rice is on the menu for tomorrow.

You could wait until Tuesday, which is Mardi Gras (very late this year).

We will be having boudin and fried eggs for breakfast or brunch on Fat Tuesday /Mardi Gras.

Boudin is basically dirty rice stuffed in a casing.

Ground beef. I put enough in that I can make a complete meal of dirty rice by adding a side salad. For me it's like chili or pasta. Put enough meat in and it's a meal, use less, it's a side.

Fascinating ideas for dirty rice.

I will have to hope I can catch Stew Leonard's when they have live crawfish. A lot harder now that I don't live in Connecticut (the chain isn't in MA). I'd love to try it with the crawfish, sausage, and even the frogs legs suggested near the top of this thread.

C'est parfait!

So what is the difference between dirty rice and jambalaya? No tomatoes or shrimp?

Blfenton, there are no tomatoes or seafood. Just rice, onions, celery and green pepper, garlic, sausage and hamburger.

I had mine tonight, with a homemade roll and a salad

Looks very good!

Looks good! With all this talk about dirty rice and the different ingredients people include, I have a hankering for my version of Paella so I'm making it for dinner.

Blfenton please post a pic of your paella!

I just saw your note. I don't know how to post photos and leftovers are in the fridge. It actually was picture worthy (If I do say so myself) and I even managed to form the crust on the bottom which doesn't always happen.

LOL I know that crust is coveted, but neither of us liked it. We were always disappointed when it happened.

That looks really good, Jasdip!

I made Chicken a la Mer on Sunday to celebrate Marti Gras and served it over Dirty Rice. I cheated and used the boxed Zatarain's dirty rice. The Chicken a la Mer was enough work by itself. The Chicken and shrimp/crab sauce turned out great which was somewhat surprising since it's only the second time I've made it and the first time wasn't so great.

Here is the recipe if anyone is interested. Chicken a la Mer