Jambalaya is a dish out of Louisiana and is a play on Spanish paella and french jambalaia. There are still multiple varieties of jambalaya. The two primary techniques are formed from the division of the addition of tomatoes and cooking method. I prefer the flavour the tomatoes add to the dish, so I primarily cook a Creole or “red” jambalaya. The other kind is Cajun, and while delicious, tomatoes are even more delicious. Some people choose to use seafood in theirs but I prefer to keep mine simple with sausage. It’s how my mom made it!
This was one of my favourite recipes growing up. It originally had a lot of lard and not a lot of vegetables, but over time I have have adapted it to the version it is today!
The flavour comes from the long cooking times at each stage, which is why it still tastes amazing! This long cooking time makes it quite similar to a paella. However, the paella is traditionally cooked over an open flame in an uncovered dish. The cooking method is another key difference between Creole and Cajun Jambalaya. Cajun Jambalaya is typically a “dump” and cook kind of dish. All the ingredients are added at once, stirred, and left to cook.
Creole jambalaya takes it a few steps further. It cooks the ingredients in stages to develop the flavour and browns the ingredients.
To Prepare:
Preheat a large heavy bottom enameled cast iron pot (or non-stick pot) over medium heat. Add the lard and let it melt before adding the onions, garlic, peppers, and celery. Cook for 2 minutes until the vegetables just start to soften.
Add the chopped sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The vegetables should turn translucent, then sweat, and then the water will release from the vegetables. Once the water has evapourated and the vegetables are just starting to get some colour, add in the rice.
Stir the rice to combine and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until the rice is beginning to brown. Do not let it burn.
Add chopped tomatoes, stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Stir a couple of times to keep it from burning.
Add beef stock to deglaze, scraping up the bits at the bottom, then add the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Creole Jambalaya: One-Pot Meal
Equipment
- 6 qt enameled cast iron pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lard or tallow or sub olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large bell pepper chopped
- 3 large stalks celery chopped
- 300 g garlic sausage chopped
- 1 ¾ cups long grain rice
- 2 roma tomatoes finely chopped
- ½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 1 tsp fine sea salt or more to taste
Directions
- Preheat a large (6 qt) enameled cast iron pot (or non-stick pot) over medium to medium-high heat. Add the lard and let it melt before adding the onions, garlic, peppers, and celery. Cook for 2 minutes until the vegetables just start to soften.
- Add the chopped sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The vegetables should turn translucent, then sweat, and then the water will release from the vegetables. Once the water has evapourated and the vegetables are just starting to get some colour, add in the rice.
- Stir the rice to combine and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until the rice is beginning to brown all over and no more liquid remains.
- Add chopped tomatoes, stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Stir a couple of times to keep it from burning.
- Add beef stock to deglaze, scraping up the bits at the bottom, then add the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Recent Comments