Jambalaya!

SciAggie · September 2017

There is a hint of coolness in the air. I just bought a new potjie pot and decided I'd break it in by making jambalaya. I don't know how authentic this meal was, but it was tasty and fun to cook.
Start with fire burning down to coals.

Then warm hp the potjie pot and brown some chicken.

Removed the chicken and sauted the trinity - onion, celery, and bell pepper. Once it was soft I added the chicken back along with some diced smoked ham, and sliced andouille sausage. Seasoned with Tony's Creole Seasoning, paprika, S&P, and a bit of cumin seed.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/5a/x2vci0ejsqyx.jpg

Next went in the rice for a bit to coat with seasonings, then chicken broth and some diced tomatoes.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/1f/o6a8q7revfj7.jpg

Brought to a boil and then simmered gently for about 25 minutes.

Resting for a few minutes.

The finished product.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/bu/s921q00d36qk.jpg

No plated pics. We were hungry, and the neighbors came over. This turned out well. We'll definitely make it again.
Thanks for looking.

kl8ton · September 2017

You sir, are living the dream. I want to be your neighbor.

SciAggie · September 2017

@kl8ton Thanks. Life is good for sure.

WeberWho · September 2017

Look like fun from here!

epcotisbest · September 2017

Very nice looking meal. Love the preparation area and effort put in to the cook. People travel for many miles for a meal like that. You, sir, travel to the back yard. What a blessing that must be.

SGH · September 2017

In my deep, southern, raspy, baritone voice:

Goodbye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh.
Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou.
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh.
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fil* gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio.
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gayo,
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, the place is buzzin',
kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen.
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh my oh.
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fil gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio.
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gayo,
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Settle down far from town, get me a pirogue
and I'll catch all the fish in the bayou.
Swap my mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o.

Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fil gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio.
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gayo,
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Somehow the song just seemed appropriate here. And I was in a singing mood to boot.

SGH · September 2017

On a seperate note, I love the pot. The grub looks first class as well my friend.

Hairless_Hand · September 2017

@SciAggie you just received a triple @SGH seal of approval.

nolaegghead · September 2017

Hank Williams Jr?

kl8ton · September 2017

nolaegghead said:

Hank Williams Jr?

Sr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WBcqIBkhvA

nolan8v · September 2017

I like Fats Domino's version of Jambalaya better... as a native New Orleanian

SciAggie · September 2017

@SGH Glad to see you back around my friend - and singing! I've never had that before on the forum, lol. Thanks.

SciAggie · September 2017

@epcotisbest Thanks. With my hearth it's like all the fun of camp cooking but I don't have to bend over.

B747crew · September 2017

VERY VERY nice Me oh my oh Where did you get the recipe ?

pgprescott · September 2017

kl8ton said:

You sir, are living the dream. I want to be your neighbor.

I immediately thought of this scene. The cook is even cooler than Seinfeld, and that is very high praise from this guy!

CPARKTX · September 2017

Awesome. I love your cooking setup with the open fire

TideEggHead · September 2017

Nicely done! Jambalaya is always a good call.

SciAggie · September 2017

B747crew said:

VERY VERY nice Me oh my oh Where did you get the recipe ?

I wish I had a link to share. I read a half dozen recipes from pinterest and then used my experience making paella to go forward. I will try to describe what I did.
Ingredients:
1 lb or so boneless skinless chicken breast (I had it in the fridge)
1 package Andouille sausage (not sure the weight). It was two links about 10" long.
Maybe 1/2 pound of diced smoked ham. I would have used tasso, but they didn't have any at the store.
2 small yellow onions diced
4 stalks of celery diced
2 small bell peppers diced
2 cups parboiled rice
32 ounces chicken stock
14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (I also had maybe 8 ounces of San Marzano with oregano & basil left over from pizzas I threw in)
6 cloves of chipped garlic
2 tsp Knorr tomato bouillon
2 Tbs Tony's Creole seasoning
2 Tbs Paprika
1 tsp cumin seed
S&P to taste

Procedure:
First, I cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes and browned it in the pot (1 1/2 Tbs oil), then removed the chicken.
Next I added the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper and cooked it until it was soft. Toward the end I added the seasonings.
Next I added the ham and sausage and cooked it a bit and covered with seasonings.
I then added the rice and stirred to cover with seasonings.
Next I added the chicken broth and the canned tomatoes.
Bring this to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20-25 minutes to cook the rice. I broke the cardinal rule of not lifting the lid - but I stirred the rice once to make sure I didn't scorch the bottom.
After the rice was done I let the pot sit for about 10-15 minutes.
I hope this gives you an idea of the cook.

Some of you true Southern folks might say how authentic this sounds?
@nolaegghead @SGH

20stone · September 2017

That is a fantastic cook. Thank you for sharing it.

Three tips, since you will be doing this again*:

In my experience, chicken thighs hold up better than breasts for long cooks like this
A guy with a setup like yours might want to make his own tasso (a google found this - there are likely better ones, but this was a quicky - http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-05-16/entertainment/8501310009_1_boneless-pork-teaspoon-onion-powder-pickle)
A guy with a setup like yours might want to make his own andouille

If tips two and three don't work for you, with enough notice and an invitation, I know a guy...

* I am not a Cajun and have never lived in NOLA.

pasoegg · September 2017

that cook is strong as train smoke and a garlic milkshake

SciAggie · September 2017

@20stone Oh, I absolutely appreciate the tips. Sausage making is in my future - this dang forum is an endless series of iterations - spend $$, see something new, spend $$, repeat.
It's also good to know a guy... This is a great place to visit. If you love dove hunting or duck hunting I know some outfitters and we might make a weekend of things.

SciAggie · September 2017

pasoegg said:

that cook is strong as train smoke and a garlic milkshake

I have never heard that expression. Thanks.

moo4me · September 2017

Awesome looking cook!

Theophan · September 2017

I almost cringe as I click on your posts, because I know in advance I'm going to be SO envious! You have created an amazing setup, and knowing how to build all of that stuff, and then knowing how to USE it all in what sure seems like a masterful manner, well, I'm just awed. Way cool!

SciAggie · September 2017

@Theophan Thank you sir. The truth is I just figure it out as I go. My granparents and parents were frugal make-do folks. The upside was I grew up surrounded by people who made things themselves and fixed whatever was broken themselves. I guess a little rubbed off over time.

lkapigian · September 2017

Bravo!!!

JohnInCarolina · September 2017

Awesome as always!

nolaegghead · September 2017

SciAggie said:

B747crew said:

VERY VERY nice Me oh my oh Where did you get the recipe ?

I wish I had a link to share. I read a half dozen recipes from pinterest and then used my experience making paella to go forward. I will try to describe what I did.
Ingredients:
1 lb or so boneless skinless chicken breast (I had it in the fridge)
1 package Andouille sausage (not sure the weight). It was two links about 10" long.
Maybe 1/2 pound of diced smoked ham. I would have used tasso, but they didn't have any at the store.
2 small yellow onions diced
4 stalks of celery diced
2 small bell peppers diced
2 cups parboiled rice
32 ounces chicken stock
14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (I also had maybe 8 ounces of San Marzano with oregano & basil left over from pizzas I threw in)
6 cloves of chipped garlic
2 tsp Knorr tomato bouillon
2 Tbs Tony's Creole seasoning
2 Tbs Paprika
1 tsp cumin seed
S&P to taste

Procedure:
First, I cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes and browned it in the pot (1 1/2 Tbs oil), then removed the chicken.
Next I added the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper and cooked it until it was soft. Toward the end I added the seasonings.
Next I added the ham and sausage and cooked it a bit and covered with seasonings.
I then added the rice and stirred to cover with seasonings.
Next I added the chicken broth and the canned tomatoes.
Bring this to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20-25 minutes to cook the rice. I broke the cardinal rule of not lifting the lid - but I stirred the rice once to make sure I didn't scorch the bottom.
After the rice was done I let the pot sit for about 10-15 minutes.
I hope this gives you an idea of the cook.

Some of you true Southern folks might say how authentic this sounds?
@nolaegghead @SGH

Looks good, looks legit.

Jambalaya is similar to paella, but while there's a generally recognized process to paella, there isn't one, universally accepted at least, process to make Jambalaya.

What they (paella and Jambalaya) have in common is that they come from common functional roots and that means as regional commoner food they utilize whatever is on-hand with a common denominator of rice cooked in the ingredients.

My constructive criticism if you are shooting for something considered authentic in New Orleans (and we have both Creole and Cajun versions of many of the same foods), I'll offer a few observations.

The rice used in Jambalaya is usually local to Louisiana rice, can be converted, short grain, long grain white rice. I would stick with that. No fancy Bomba or par.

Don't add cumin. '

One one extreme, the vegetables and protein is saute'd and constantly deglazed either with the broth or using water, on how you want to control salt. The proteins, carbs and fats do a similar thing as carbs do in a roux, they darken and gain complexity.

Most common is what you did. After the final step - adding the uncooked rice to the properly diluted mix of everything else, you commonly see them baked in an oven like a casserole or cooked in a paella-like shallow pan.

Anything goes, the most important things to know is any protein works, no shame in using breast meat, like you said, it was handy. The final result is what matters, and above all it should be a dish worthy of an entre'.

SciAggie · September 2017

@nolaegghead Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I was looking for.

Jambalaya!

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