Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.

Add the rice and the hot chicken broth to the baking dish. Stir the mixture with a fork. Set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan/skillet/Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking it apart.

Cook until it is ~75% cooked through, and add the garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, kosher salt, and smoked paprika.

Cook until onions and garlic are softened, and the ground beef is thoroughly cooked through.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the ground beef and place it in a large bowl. Set aside.

Drain all but 1 tbsp of grease from the skillet.

Add the butter to the skillet and melt it over medium-low heat.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk to form a paste. Cook down for 3 minutes, whisking often.

Slowly and gradually pour in the warmed milk, whisking constantly to incorporate.

Stir in the tomato paste.

Increase the temperature to medium and bring the milk mixture to a near boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

To the saucepan, add: cooked ground beef, 2 cups of cheddar (reserving 1 cup for later), and the sauce, and stir gently until combined.

Add the beef mixture to the top of the rice in the baking dish.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes.Pro tip: spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray.

After 25 minutes, remove the foil and gently stir the mixture, making sure all the rice on the edges is incorporated into the mixture - especially at the corners.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Top with the remaining cup of shredded cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes.