how to cook jambolaya?

Answer 1

Jambalaya:

2 hours 20 min prep
8-10 servings

2 teaspoons shortening
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 cup green peppers, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 chicken, cut into pieces
2 lbs chorizo sausage or andouille sausages (or a good reliable hot sausage you know of)
3 cups fresh, ripe tomatoes, , , chopped or 2 cans diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne or chili powder (what ever your taste buds can handle)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups cooked long grain white rice
cayenne or Tabasco sauce (to offer at table)

# Melt shortening in a large/huge saucepan over medium heat.
# Cook chicken pieces until brown on all sides and cooked about half way through, around 20 minutes or so.
# Remove and add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic.
# Cook slowly stirring now and again until onions are tender.
# Add sausage and cook 10 min more.
# Return chicken and add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT rice and stir together well.
# Cover and simmer for 30 min stirring now and again.
# Remove cover and continue to cook until broth cooks down a bit-you don't want it too thick as the rice will soak up the juice.
# Serve up the rice in bowls and ladle the Jambalaya on top, and offer more cayenne or tabasco at the table.
# ***I know that cooking the rice on the side and not in the dish will cause some to have a heart attack, but I've found the flavor much better this way.

Answer 2

1 lb. boneless chicken, cubed; AND/OR
1 lb. shrimp, boiled in Zatarain's and peeled; OR
1 lb. leftover holiday turkey, cubed; OR
1 lb. of any kind of poultry or fish, cubed; OR
Any combination of the above
1 lb. (hot) smoked sausage, andouille or chaurice, sliced on the bias; OR
1 lb. diced smoked ham
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 - 6 cloves garlic, minced (amount to taste; I like lots)
4 ribs celery, chopped
3 small cans tomato paste
4 large Creole tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced; OR
1 28-oz. can tomatoes
8 cups good dark homemade chicken stock
Creole seasoning blend to taste (or 2 - 3 tablespoons); OR
2 teaspoons cayenne, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teapsoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked (Some people like converted rice, others prefer good old Mahatma. I use Uncle Ben's converted, as the rice doesn't get sticky or lumpy that way.)


In a sauté or frying pan, brown the chicken, sprinkling with Tony Chachere's seasoning if you've got it; a bit of salt, black pepper and red pepper otherwise. Don't brown if using leftover cooked bird, but you still might want to season the meat. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size pieces.

Brown the sliced smoked sausage or andouille and pour off fat. In the pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent.

In the same pot, while you're sautéing the "trinity", add the tomato paste and let it pincé, meaning to let it brown a little. What we're going for here is an additional depth of flavor by browning the tomato paste a little; the sugar in the tomato paste begins to caramelize, deepening the flavor and color. Keep it moving so that it browns but doesn't burn. Some friends of mine hate this step, so you can skip it if you want, but then it won't be Chuck's jambalaya. :^)

Once the vegetables are translucent and the tomato paste achives sort of a red mahogany color, deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly. It should be fairly thick.

Add the Creole seasoning, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the meat and/or seafood and cook another 10 minutes; if you're using seafood, be careful not to overcook it.

Add the rest of the stock, check seasonings, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. If you haven't checked your seasonings before adding the rice, it's too late! It's much better for the rice to absorb the seasonings while it's cooking. Check seasoning anyway, then turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. When the jambalaya has thickened up a bit and has reached the "right" consistency (you'll know), it's done.

Serve with salad and French bread.