Jambalaya Recipe

 Jambalaya is one of those great one pot meals that has a little bit of everything in it and only has a couple of solid rules. Meats can consist of anything that Walks, Crawls, Flies, or Swims. I think that covers everything.

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There are two basic schools of thought when it comes to a jambalaya recipe and that is Creole Style with Tomatoes or Cajun Style without Tomatoes. There is a third way to make it that is not as common but ill throw it in as well.

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Creole style jambalaya recipe sometimes called “red jambalaya” is more typical of what your will find in a restaurant. Its made by adding meat first to cook then adding vegetable and tomatoes. Seafood if added is the very last thing to go into the pot as it will only take a couple of minutes to cook. Next rice and stock are added usually it’s a one for one with 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of stock. This is brought to a boil and then lowered to a low simmer with just enough stirring to keep the bottom from burning. If you try this with a thin pot it will burn, that is why you will see most of the jambalaya recipes call for a cast iron pot. Let it simmer till the liquid is all absorbed by the rice. This takes about 30 to 60 minutes depending on how big of a batch you are making.


A Cajun style Jambalaya Recipe tends to be more prevalent in the southern parts of Louisiana and are more of a brown color because of the lack of tomatoes and the fact that the meat is browned in the cast-iron pot. This style starts off the same by browning the meat in the cast-iron pot and then removing the meat. A small amount of vegetable oil is added to sauté the trinity of vegetables which is (green bell peppers, celery, and onions). Not to much oil here we just need to add enough to sauté the vegetables. The you add your spices, meat, and stock and bring it to a boil. Dump in the rice, cover and reduce to a low simmer with out stirring. When the rice is done the Jambalaya is done.

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The third way to make a Jambalaya recipe is to cook your vegetables and meat separate pot from the rice. The meat and vegetables are cooked with spices and a little oil while the rice is cooked in a separate pot with a rich stock. This way of making Jambalaya is done to shorten the cooking time and is not recommended if you have Cajun or Creole friends coming over for dinner.

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Well now you know more that 90% of the country about Jambalaya. I hope that you will enjoy the jambalaya recipes that I have put here as much as I have. So let me answer the big question that I always get. What is the difference between Jambalaya and Gumbo? Jambalaya: Rice is cooked with the meat and vegetables and is not stirred. Gumbo: Rice is cooked separate from the meat and vegetables. There is also a lot of stirring going on while making the Roux. Gumbo is more of a stew that is put over the rice. The Gumbo recipes are a lot more complex to master than Jambalaya recipe.   http://www.jambalaya-recipe.com/     

Andouille Sausage

Andouille sausage is a smoked sausage made out of pork and garlic. The sausage is closely associated with Cajun food, where it plays a major role in dishes such as jambalaya, in addition to being served plain. Andouille is also made in France, in a milder version. The sausage can be made at home, or purchased from companies or butchers which specialize in Cajun food.

The rich, spicy flavor of Andouille sausage is characteristic of Cajun cuisine. The cuisine is found primarily in the American South among people descended from French immigrants who had initially settled in Acadia, Canada. When the British took over the region, they drove the Acadians south, and they took on an Anglicized pronunciation of their ethnic identification. Many Cajuns speak French, and are proud of their cultural and historical origins.

A traditional Andouille sausage is made from ground pork and garlic, seasoned with salt and black pepper and stuffed into a sausage casing which can be made from beef or pork. The sausage is smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane for an extended period of time, often up to 14 hours. The result is an intensely flavored, very spicy sausage with a very dark color. The level of spiciness varies, depending on the cook and the region.

In France, Andouille sausage is made with tripe, the stomach of the pig. It represents a very efficient use of body parts, since the tripe is stuffed into the intestines when making sausage. The French version of the sausage has a much milder flavor, and appears to have its origins in Germany, where numerous varieties of sausage have been made for centuries. French immigrants to the Americas brought the recipe for Andouille sausage with them, along with numerous other traditional French foods, which later evolved into Cajun cuisine.  http://www.jambalaya-recipe.com/andouille_sauasge.html      

Rice Cooking Tips

1. Use Long Grain Rice When Cooking Cajun or Creole Food

Medium grain rice is also acceptable, but the Chinese use short grain rice mainly for dishes such as congee.

2. Rinse the Rice

brand of rice you are using - but rinsing does remove any starch and excess residue that can cause the rice to turn out sticky or “gummy.” Also, I do find rinsing 2 or 3 times improves the flavor.

3. Cook the rice in a pot with a heavy bottom.

This will give the rice a thinner crust – copper is an excellent choice.

4. Don't use salt or butter when cooking plain rice

Adding seasonings to rice during cooking kills its natural sweet flavor.

5. Don't use Stale Rice

If your rice is taking longer than usual to cook, you may want to check how long it has been sitting in the cupboard. Older rice can lose some of its moisture, requiring more water and a longer cooking time than fresh rice.

6. On Nights When You're in a Rush, Soak the rice in cold water

Besides speeding up the cooking time, this will give the rice a softer, fluffier texture, so if you prefer rice with a firmer texture, save this for nights when you're in a real hurry.

7. Save Leftover Cooked Rice to Make Fried Rice

Leftover rice is perfect for making fried rice. Just be sure to follow food safety instructions for storing cooked rice – cool down and refrigerate the rice as quickly as possible, within a maximum of 1 1/2 hours (if necessary, divide the rice into separate dishes to help cool down more quickly).

8. Don't use Instant or Precooked Rice

Large bags of long grain white rice are available in Asian markets and most supermarkets - Dragon King is a good brand.

9. Experiment With Cooking Scented Rice

For a bit of variety, try one of the scented rices such as jasmine or basmati. Just remember that the amount of water required and the cooking time will be different than for other types of long grain white rice.    http://www.jambalaya-recipe.com/cook_rice.html    

Basic Jambalaya Spice

This is the basic Jambalaya Spice and can be modified to your own taste. I add a little wasabi to mine to give it a little more kick. The wasabi gives that real quick heat then goes away leaving you wanting more.

Ingredients
2 bay leaves, crushed or ground
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried or ground sage
1 teaspoon file powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Yield: Provides ample spicing for 1 jambalaya or gumbo recipe that feeds 4 to 6 people.

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HAM AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA

Ingredients

Basic Jambalaya Spice
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
20 oz. Andouille Sausage cut up in to ½ inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (16 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes in juice 1/2 lb. cooked ham, cut in cubes
1 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1. Heat up your oil in your cast-iron pot and add add the Andouille Sausage, onions, green pepper, celery and garlic; cook until vegetables are tender.

2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, ham, basic jambalaya spice, hot sauce, and thyme.

3. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Bring it to a boil and then add the rice.

4. Reduce it to a simmer and cover and leave it alone for 15 minutes.

5.Check it to see if it needs more broth and if it does add some if not put the lid back on and leave it for another 15 minutes.

6. Check to see that the rice is done. If its close turn off the heat and let it set it will finish and you don’t have to worry about it burning.

This recipe will serve about 4 to 6 people.

Avoid the temptation to stir the pot, if it’s really hard not to do it I find that having a beer in hand helps.   

Crab Jambalaya Recipe

From the Creole chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947. SERVES 6 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons butter
1/2 chili pepper (powdered may be used, if desired)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 dash cayenne
2 tomatoes, chopped (canned is fine)
2 cups broth or water
2 cups crabmeat
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1 Brown onion and garlic in butter in deep skillet.
2 add finely chopped chili pepper, white pepper and cayenne, and tomatoes, crushing them.
3 Add broth, crab meat, rice and salt; mix well, cover and heat to boiling point.
4 Lower heat and simmer slowly without uncovering for 20 minutes.
5 Remove from heat, keep warm and let stand for another 20 minutes.
6 At the end of this time, rice should be very tender and all liquid absorbed.    When you hear New Orleans Cuisine there are a couple of dishes that jump to the front of the line. Jambalaya and Gumbo! When you think of Cajun or Creole chiefs then you think of Paul Prudhomme. Here is one of Paul's recipes that I modified to fit my tastes, not that there was anything wrong with Paul's I just have a different taste.

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Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Andouille Sausage, Diced
1/2 Cup Onion, Diced
1/2 Cup Bell Pepper, Diced
1/2 Cup Celery, Diced
2 Tbsp. Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, Diced
1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
3/4 Cup Enriched Long grain Rice
1 Cup Boneless Chicken breast, Diced
Basic Jambalaya Spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter, sauté the Andouille until slightly browned. Add 1/2 of the trinity (onion, bell pepper, celery) sauté until tender. Add tomato cook about a minute, then add the tomato sauce, cook 1 minute more. Add the garlic and rice, cook 1 minute. Add the stock, basic jambalaya spice, other half of the trinity, and Raw Chicken. Stir well and bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, but still has a little bite. Top with chopped parsley, and sliced green onions. This will feed about 2 to 3 people    

Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya Recipe

With this recipe we are going to use the over to finish off the Jambalaya. I buy whole shrimp so that I can use the shells to make the stock. To make the stock heat up some Chicken Stock and simmer the shrimp shells for about 30 minutes and strain well.

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Basic Jambalaya Spice
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Diced Andouille Sausage
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1/2 Cup Diced Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
1/2 Cup Diced Fresh Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
3/4 Cup Enriched Long Grain Rice
1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock with a Shrimp shell infusion (see above)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
2 Tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic
1/2 Cup Diced Chicken Breast (Cooked or raw) 1 1/2 Cup Medium Shrimp
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
3 Tbsp Finely Sliced Green Onions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper.
In your Cast Iron Oven, melt the butter over medium heat .
Add the Andouille and cook until it just starts to brown.
Add half of the Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper, cook until the vegetables are tender.
Add the diced Tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the Tomato Sauce and cook for another minute.
Add the Rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the Stock, the remaining half of the Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper.
Add the Basic Jambalaya Spice, Worcestershire, and the Garlic.
Add the Chicken, stir well and put the pot in the preheated oven.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes stir in the raw Shrimp, Parsley, and Green Onions, place back in the oven until the Shrimp are cooked.
Serve with French Bread.