Brown the meat: Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and pork sausage and cook 7 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains and both reach 160°F. Leave the browned bits stuck to the pan. Those bits are what make dirty rice dirty. Spoon off the grease only if there's more than a tablespoon or two.

Cook the holy trinity: Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns soft and translucent and the celery loses its raw crunch.

Bloom the seasoning: Stir in the garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne if using, black pepper, and salt. Cook 1 minute, until the spices smell toasty instead of dusty. Pour in the Worcestershire and scrape the pan while it sizzles.

Toast the rice: Add the rice and stir about 1 minute, until every grain is coated in the seasoned fat and looks glossy. Toasted grains stay separate through the simmer instead of going gluey.

Simmer it covered: Pour in the beef broth and drop in the bay leaf. Scrape the bottom clean, bring it to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer 20 minutes without lifting the lid.

Rest, fluff, and finish: Take the pan off the heat and let it sit covered another 5 minutes. Pull out the bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and fold in the green onions and parsley. Taste and add salt if your Cajun blend ran mild.