Locrio de Chuleta Recipe (Rice with Smoked Pork Chops)

1. Browning chuleta

1. In an aluminum pot (Amazon affiliate link) or cast iron (minimum 5 liters [1.5 gallon] capacity) heat half the oil over medium heatAdd the pork chops to the hot oil, and cook stirring to brown. Discard excess fat if you find it necessary.

2. Cooking vegetables

1. Add cubanela peppers, oregano, onion, minced garlic, celery, capers, carrot, olives, black pepper, and auyama. Cook and stir for a minute.Stir in tomato sauce, pour 4 cups of water, and add the salt. Decrease the heat to medium and bring it to a boil.

3. Cooking rice

1. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the rice and cook, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. When almost all the liquid has evaporated, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over very low heat (but enough to generate steam) for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the remaining oil and parsley, stir, and cover again. This oil will make the rice shiny, and the concón crispier, but you may leave it out if you wish.In 10 more minutes, taste the rice. It should be firm but soft inside. If necessary, cover again and simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat.

4. Serving

1. As soon as the rice is ready, remove it from the pot and place it in a serving dish (this prevents the concón from getting soggy).Scrape off the concón (rice stuck to the bottom) and serve on the side.