Arroz con Gandules al Fogón con el Char-Griller Traditional: El Plato Nacional Boricua
- Ramon Valles
- Mar 13
- 3 min read
Arroz con Gandules: The Soul of Puerto Rico on Your Plate
Arroz con gandules isn’t just food—it’s the heartbeat of Puerto Rico, our national dish that’s been gracing tables for generations. This time, I cooked it over a wood fire in my Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill, just like our grandparents did, with that unforgettable smoky flavor. This recipe serves 4-6 people, and with my homemade sofrito, adobo, a touch of pork belly, and olives, it’s pure tradition in every bite. Cooking this way connects me to my roots, and I want you to feel that magic too. Here’s how I make it and serve it up with potato salad, pernil, and a pastel—a true Boricua feast!
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
2 cups medium-grain rice
1/4 cup homemade sofrito (recipe on the blog)
1 (15 oz) can pigeon peas (gandules), drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon homemade adobo (recipe on the blog)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 lb pork belly, diced into small cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup pitted green olives, halved
3 cups water or chicken broth
Dry firewood (for the Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill as your fogón)
Instructions
Total Time: 1-1.5 hours + fogón prep
Set Up the Fogón: In your Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill, pile up dry firewood in the cooking area—no briquettes this time, we’re going old-school like our abuelos. Light it with some paper or twigs until you’ve got a steady fire with lively embers (about 20-30 minutes). Adjust the grill’s vents to control the heat—aim for a medium fire, around 350°F if you could measure it.
Cook the Pork Belly: Place a cast-iron caldero (Dutch oven) over the embers in the Char-Griller. Add the olive oil and pork belly, cooking for 5-7 minutes until it releases its fat and turns crispy. That wood-fire aroma already starts working its magic.
Build the Flavor Base: Stir in the sofrito, red bell pepper, and adobo into the caldero on the Char-Griller. Cook for 5 minutes, letting the flavors meld and the fire add its special touch. Add the tomato paste, pigeon peas, bay leaves, oregano, and olives—cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the Rice: Pour in the rice and water (or broth) into the caldero on the Char-Griller, stir once, and let it come to a boil (5-10 minutes). Taste the liquid—adjust with a pinch more adobo if needed.
Simmer Low and Slow: Once boiling, shift the caldero to a cooler side of the Char-Griller where the embers are gentler (indirect heat). Cover tightly and cook for 45-60 minutes until the rice is tender. Check halfway—if it’s drying out, add a splash of water and adjust the firewood to maintain steady heat.
Serve It Up: Remove the bay leaves, fluff the rice, and serve hot. For my plate, I paired it with potato salad, roasted pernil from the Masterbuilt, and a pastel—a full-on Puerto Rican feast.
Chef’s Notes
My Inspiration: Cooking over a wood fire in the Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill is my way of honoring our grandparents. That live-fire flavor is pure nostalgia—this arroz con gandules feels more ours this way.
Pro Tip: Use dry hardwood like guayacán or mango if you can—it gives the rice an incredible aroma in the Char-Griller. A heavy caldero is key to prevent sticking.
For the Video: I filmed the firewood crackling in the Char-Griller and the caldero bubbling—I want you to feel that heat and get inspired to cook like the old days.
Shopping List
Everything you need for this wood-fired arroz con gandules:
Medium-grain rice – 2 cups
Homemade sofrito – 1/4 cup (see recipe on the blog)
Canned pigeon peas (15 oz) – 1 can
Olive oil – 1/4 cup
Homemade adobo – 1 tablespoon (see recipe on the blog)
Red bell pepper – 1
Pork belly – 1/4 lb
Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
Bay leaves – 2
Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon
Pitted green olives – 1/4 cup
Water or chicken broth – 3 cups
Dry firewood – enough for 1-1.5 hours in the Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill
Note: The original mentioned potatoes (“papas”) in the cooking steps but not the ingredients. I assumed this was a typo since it’s not typical for arroz con gandules. If you meant to include them, let me know, and I’ll adjust!
What’s Next?
Arroz con gandules is our national dish, and making it over a fogón with the Char-Griller Traditional Charcoal Grill is an invitation to cook like our grandparents—with firewood, love, and time. Serve it with potato salad, pernil from the Masterbuilt, and a pastel, and you’ve got a complete Boricua table. If you try it, drop a comment or share your pic with #CocinaConmigo—I’d love to see your fogón in action!
Loved this recipe? Share this post and follow me for more Puerto Rican flavors, traditional style.
Comments