There's countless ways to make Cajun dirty rice. This is my way of doing it. Mainly, as with most Cajun food traditions, use what you have on hand and what you like.

Further down will be a list of possible ingredients that might be used. Pick whatever you want.

1 large or two small chicken livers

1/2 pound pan breakfast sausage

Bacon Drippings

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped green onion, (scallions)

3 cups cooked Long Grain Rice (or more)

Spices as you desire:

Kosher or Sea Salt, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Thyme, Parsley, 1/2 tsp Rubbed Sage, 1/4 tsp or more Cayenne (or omit)

Break up the pan sausage in a skillet, start it frying. Add the bacon drippings, stir it in. Drop in the 1-2 chicken livers, stir those in with the sausage. Let it all brown up well. Once everything is browned, use a slotted spoon and transfer the meats to a heat resistant mesh strainer to drain off the pan drippings. Leave a couple of tablespoons bacon drippings in the skillet.

Return the skillet to heat, add in the chopped onions, peppers and celery (not the green scallion onions), sizzle those until just turning glossy. Add the spices, chopped green onions and herbs, mix in the cooked meats. Make sure to mash up the cooked chicken livers well at this time. I use a fork or spoon. Once mixed, remove from heat.

Dump the cooked long grain rice in a large mixing bowl, gently break it up if it's clumped, then add the meat mixture and start folding it all together with two clean hands. This works quicker than using a spoon, as you can feel where things are still clumped, and break it up. Keep folding it over until all of the rice has become "dirty" colored from the meats and spices.

At this point it could be served as is. But in my family, this is where you'd heat the oven or broiler, grease up a casserole pan, pour in the dirty rice mixture, then drizzle with a bit of oil or bacon drippings, then bake until very lightly toasty and fragrant. This step makes a huge flavor difference.

If Dad was cooking this, he'd nestle some simmered (fully cooked) chicken pieces in top of the rice, and the chicken would get toasty along with the rice. It's a full meal in one pan.

Use whatever protiens you like. This is fully customizable. It is not "livery" unless you add more livers. Add more livers if you want it, customize this to suit you.

Among the meat choices possible: crawfish tailmeat, shrimp, crab, chopped andouille sausage, chopped tasso, ground venison, chicken, turkey, chopped, cooked gizzards, smoked jowl, roast beef, alligator, pork, ground chuck and many more options.

The meat possibilities are virtually endless. Use what you have on hand. However, I've never heard of anyone using tuna or other canned seafood. They'd likely be way too mushy.

Livers aren't necessary. But if you want the classic Cajun dirty rice flavors, it needs at least one skinny little chicken liver. ;) Think of that one liver as seasoning, and not the main component.

Most folks who've eaten my dirty rice can't taste liver at all, because the flavor is so light that it only adds an umami flavor. It doesn't taste "livery".

Some folks make it with no other meats than chicken livers and gizzards, and that's ok! It's all about what a person or family likes. That's why there's countless ways to make dirty rice.

There's no hard-fast rule on how much peppers, onions and celery to use. They're a seasoning component, go from there.

Dirty rice can be used to stuff a chicken or cornish hen, or in many other stuffed meat entrees. Stuff a roast, a pork chop, flounder, or even stuff cabbage rolls with it. Might I suggest adding shrimp, crab or crawfish to the dirty rice mixture as it will be extremely flavorful.

Dirty rice is often called "rice dressing", and used that way. Dirty rice is fantastic all by itself, as an accompanyment to a pot of beans or gumbo, or as the main course. And hey, it doesn't go wrong between two slices of white bread as a snack. :D

Sometimes I'll add a dash of File Gumbo powder right before serving it while it's still hot. It's not a necessary ingredient, I just like the flavor of file gumbo powder.

"File'" is pronounced "fee-lay" or "fee-LAY" or "FEE-lay". File gumbo powder is dried and powdered sassafras leaves.