Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups black beans, with some of their liquid
• 1 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• Salt, to taste
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered grease in the pot.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the bacon grease and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the grease and aromatics.
4. Stir in the black beans along with some of their liquid, the broth, bay leaf, oregano, and cumin. Season with salt.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
6. Uncover, stir, and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (less if the rice already looks dry).
7. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes to steam.
8. Discard the bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and stir the crisped bacon back in. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top to serve.

Tips

• Rendering the aromatics in the bacon grease is what gives this version its smoky backbone. Return the crisped bacon at the very end so it stays crunchy instead of going soft in the pot.
• Cooking the rice in the bean liquid and broth rather than plain water is what tints every grain and carries the flavor through the dish.
• The traditional method cooks the beans and rice completely separately, combining them only on the plate: it takes longer, but gives each component a sharper, more distinct flavor.