Concón (Dominican Crispy Pot Rice)
White rice cooked the Dominican way in a heavy caldero so a golden, crunchy layer forms on the bottom. Fluffy rice on top, crackling concón below: the most fought-over part of the meal.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Rinse the rice
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
- 400 g rice
Boil the water
In a heavy pot () about 24 cm / 9½ in wide, bring the water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the salt.
- 800 ml water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: water is boiling rapidly
Cook uncovered
Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice, until the water has almost disappeared from the surface, about 8 minutes.
- 400 g rinsed rice
✅ Done when: only a thin film of water remains on top
Steam
Stir once, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil around the edge of the pot, cover tightly with a lid, and cook on the lowest possible heat for 15 minutes.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
✅ Done when: rice on top looks fluffy and dry
Make the concón
Without stirring, raise the heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes more, until you hear crackling and smell toasted rice; watch closely so it does not burn.
✅ Done when: you hear crackling and smell toasted rice at the bottom
Serve
Spoon out the fluffy rice first, then scrape up the golden crust () in pieces with a metal spoon and serve it on top.
Rinse the rice
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
- 400 g rice
Boil the water
In a heavy pot () about 24 cm / 9½ in wide, bring the water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the salt.
- 800 ml water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: water is boiling rapidly
Cook uncovered
Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice, until the water has almost disappeared from the surface, about 8 minutes.
- 400 g rinsed rice
✅ Done when: only a thin film of water remains on top
Steam
Stir once, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil around the edge of the pot, cover tightly with a lid, and cook on the lowest possible heat for 15 minutes.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
✅ Done when: rice on top looks fluffy and dry
Make the concón
Without stirring, raise the heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes more, until you hear crackling and smell toasted rice; watch closely so it does not burn.
✅ Done when: you hear crackling and smell toasted rice at the bottom
Serve
Spoon out the fluffy rice first, then scrape up the golden crust () in pieces with a metal spoon and serve it on top.
The Story Behind the Dish
Concón is the crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the caldero, the heavy pot every Dominican kitchen has. Getting a perfect, golden concón without burning it is a point of pride for Dominican cooks.
Other Caribbean and Latin cultures have their own versions: pegao in Puerto Rico, raspa in Cuba and cucayo in Colombia.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Crunchy, toasty and a little oily, it's the treasure hidden under every pot of Dominican rice.
💡 Fun Fact
Concón is often eaten with a ladle of habichuelas poured over it, softening one side and leaving the rest crunchy.
All over the Dominican Republic
18.49°N, -69.93°W
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