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pegao

Pegao (Puerto Rican Crispy Rice)

Pegao or Puerto Rican crispy rice is a delicacy on our island and other parts of the Caribbean. It takes some practice making perfectly crispy pegao, but once you learn the technique, it will become quite easy!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Caldero (Dutch oven) see notes for links

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Jasmine rice rinsed thoroughly
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided

Instructions
 

  • Thoroughly rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear.
  • Place a caldero (pot) over high heat.
  • Add water, rice, salt, and 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Stir to combine. Taste the water and adjust salt, if necessary.
  • Bring to a boil and after 3-5 minutes, cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
  • Uncover, and fluff the rice. Remove it from the caldero and set it aside.
  • Add a drizzle of oil to the pot and turn up the heat to medium. Keep an eye on the rice to make sure it doesn't burn.
  • Once the rice is crispy, scrape the pegao from the pot using a large spoon. Serve immediately, otherwise it will become chewy.
  • Enjoy with your favorite main dish and stewed beans. ¡Buen provecho!

Notes

Tips:

As a rule of thumb, for every 2 cups of Jasmine rice, use 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbsp oil, and 3 cups water.
Always taste the water and adjust salt, if necessary. It is better to under-salt than over-salt.
Use a caldero to cook the rice. The caldero has to be at least twice as large as the amount of rice and water combined for best results. Using a caldero that is too small will result in unevenly cooked rice.
A caldero will make the best pegao. Add a light drizzle of oil to help the rice crisp up. Turn up the heat to medium, keep an eye on the rice to make sure it doesn't burn. Scrape the crispy rice from the pot right after it’s done crisping up, and serve immediately. Otherwise it will become chewy. 
Keyword concon, crispy rice, pegao, puerto rican pegao, Puerto Rican recipes, raspa, recetas Puertorriqueñas, scorched rice