The delicious moro-locrio (moro de habichuelas combined with meat) combines two Dominican classics: it mixes rice, pork, and black beans in one simple and tasty dish. Take advantage of how simple this lovely dish is to prepare, and save yourself some time in the kitchen.
Why we ❤️ it
What makes this dish so interesting is that you can make a whole meal in one pot. I love finding ways to make cooking less labor-intensive.
You're going to love how tasty and versatile it is, and it's sure to be a new family favorite.
What's moro locrio?
Moro-locrio is not a very well-known Dominican dish. I liken it to chambre, both dishes that combine the characteristics of two different dishes. In chambre it's both an asopao, and a sopión, in moro-locrio – as the name makes obvious – it's moro, and locrio: moro de habichuelas negras and locrio de chuleta ahumada.
Instead of cooking meat as an extra dish – as you would if you serve moro – you just add meat to the moro. And instead of making habichuelas rojas guisadas or stewed black beans to serve with locrio (as 50% of Dominicans do, according to several informal surveys on our social media), you just add beans to the locrio.
Moro-locrio dominicano.
Serving suggestions
The rice in this moro negro Dominicano is not very graneado (loose rice), but it's not apa'tado (mushy) either, so it's juicy enough to eat on its own without needing sauce-rich meat or a creamy habichuelas dish. It goes great with a few slices of avocado and some Dominican salad.
It goes very well with some avocado slices and Dominican salad. You can also make some fritos maduros, arepitas de yuca, or arepita de maíz. Another side dish that I love is torrejas or fried eggplant. And for something innovative, some arañitas de plátano will surprise your guests.
Top tips
- If you do not like or do not have black beans, you can use any type of beans (red, pinto, cranberry, or navy), and even guandules. I liked the dark color imparted by the black beans in this dish.
- If you want, you can use most smoked pork cut with bones (like chops, ham hock, ham, etc).
- Some meat products (like pork chops) have enough fat that no oil is needed to brown them. Brown in 2 tablespoons of oil if you use lean meat.
- If you have experience cooking Dominican rice it may look to you that we're adding too little water, but remember that the tomato sauce has water, and also the vegetables release water too, so no more is needed.
About this recipe
Originally, this recipe called for ham hock (a type of smoked pork meat product), but I subsequently changed it to smoked pork chops (chuletas), as these are more common, popular, and easier to find in the Dominican Republic. The recipe gives you other options that would work too.
Video
Recipe
This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
Moro-Locrio [Recipe + Video] Rice with Beans and Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pound smoked pork chop, [0.75 kg] sliced, or smoked ham hock, or ham, cut into small pieces
- 1 small red onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ½ cup diced bell peppers, or cubanelle
- 1 tablespoon mashed garlic
- 1 pinch oregano , (dry, ground)
- ⅛ cup capers, (optional)
- ¼ cup pitted green olives, sliced (optional)
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme leaves, or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1½ cups boiled black beans
- 1 cup water in which the beans boiled
- 1¼ teaspoon salt, (optional)
- 1½ cups rice
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
Browning meat: Heat a 3 quart [3 lt] pot over high heat. Add pork chops and brown (see notes). You can cover to avoid splatters, but stir often to cook evenly.Remove excess fat if you find it necessary. Not all pork chops have the same amount of fat.- Cooking the vegetables: Lower heat to medium. Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, capers, and olives. Once the vegetables have been heated through, add thyme and tomato sauce and stir.Add beans, also while stirring. Add water and bring to a boil. Taste and season with salt if you find it necessary (I did not, the pork chops were plenty salty).
- Cooking the rice: Add the rice and stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking. Make sure to remove the rice that sticks to the bottom.When the water has evaporated cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir, moving the rice at the bottom to the top.Cover again for another 15 minutes. After this, the rice should be firm but tender inside. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes over very low heat. Discard the thyme twigs and mix in the cilantro.
- Serving: Serve with salad and avocado or tostones.
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
Published May 6, 2014, revised
