New Orleans Jambalaya

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll! With Mardis Gras in full swing, what a great opportunity to teach y’all how to make a delicious pot of jambalaya using Bull’s outdoor kitchen, the perfect space for entertaining while cooking for family and friends.

This week on the menu, fire-roasted jambalaya. Bull’s extra large pizza oven takes center stage as fiery hot cherry wood burns in the corner, preheating the stone base with uniform heat. Family and friends gather around, anticipating the parade of flavors to come! First up, a delicious trifecta of seafood, poultry, and pork creates a wonderful base for the rice. Bacon, andouille, and fresh pork sausage render next to the intense heat. Golden brown chicken thighs follow, adding another level of texture to the dish.

As onions caramelize, bell peppers, celery, and garlic jump into action. Aromatics and rice are toasted along with the mix before homemade stock and crushed tomatoes combine all these layers of flavors together. As the dish is covered to finish, the crowd anticipates the grand finale. Roasted prawns and fresh diced green onions complete the lineup. A wonderful parade of ingredients and flavors make this memorable dish one for the cookbooks.

Chef’s note:

Try to use a large, thick-bottom pot or preferably a rondoe to cook this dish. A 3-5 gallon rondoe allows enough room for all the ingredients to evenly cook on the wide surface space. Don’t forget a well-fitting lid to finish cooking the jambalaya.

Author/Photo/Food & Set Styling: Chef Amy Aberle-Rogan
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 50 mins
Serves: 8-12

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. bacon, small dice
1 lb. fresh pork sausage, bulk, casing removed
1 lb. andouille sausage, small dice
2 tbsp. lard

4 each chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes/pieces
3 lbs. fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
3 medium yellow onions, small dice
4 green bell peppers, small dice
5 celery stalks, small dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ½ cups basmati rice, rinsed with water, dried
½ tbsp. celery salt
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cayenne
2 tbsp. Bull’s sweet heat rub
3 cups crushed tomatoes
3 cups, chicken stock, click here for the recipe
2 bunches green onions, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

RECIPE PREPARATION:

Building the fire: Preheat the Bull pizza oven to 450 – 500 degrees. Allow the fire to burn about 30 minutes until embers start to form. Using the Bull shovel, place the hot embers towards the left back corner of the pizza oven. As needed, throw an extra log onto the fire to keep the temperature around 400 degrees.

Preheating the rondoe: Place the large rondoe into the pizza oven to preheat, around 10 minutes. This will get the surface area of the pot nice and hot with no hot spots. Use the Bull pit mitt to take the pot in and out of the pizza oven.

Cooking the pork/chicken: With the pot positioned in the front opening of the pizza oven, add the lard, diced bacon, pork sausage and andouille sausage. Stir using a metal spoon. Place the pot in the opposite corner of the fire, uncovered, to allow the pork to render. Allow the pork to get nice and brown. In a small bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, place back in the corner of the pizza oven and allow the chicken to turn golden brown, around 6 minutes.

Caramelizing the veggies: Give the meat a good stir and add the onion. Stir and place back in the corner of the pizza oven. Watch as the onions caramelize next to the wood fire. Allow the onions to cook for 20 minutes. Now add the celery, bell peppers and garlic. Stir and cook for an additional 5 more minutes.

Adding the aromatics and rice: Add the celery salt, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne and fresh cracked black pepper. Stir into the veggies/meat mix and place back in the corner of the oven. The intense, hot fire opens up all the wonderful flavors of the spices, seasoning the sauteed meat and veggies. After about 4 minutes, add the rice, stir and place back in the corner of the oven. Allow the rice to heat up and toast, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Adding the liquid: Throw another log onto the fire to increase the heat of the oven. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock and stir. Place back into the oven and allow the liquids to come to a soft simmer. Stir one more time and place the lid on top of the rondoe and back into the corner of the oven. After 7 minutes, Bull pit mitt on the hand, grab the handle on the side of the pot and rotate, so that the side closest to fire is now rotated. Allow the jambalaya to cook a total of 15 minutes covered.

Roasting the shrimp: Place the Bull non-stick square pan next to the fire and pot to preheat. In a medium sized bowl, place the cleaned shrimp. Add the Bull sweet heat rub and mix well with your hands, coating the shrimp with the delicious homemade rub. Place the shrimp onto the hot, preheated pan and roast/cook until the shrimp start to turn pink. Using the Bull tongs, turns the prawns over and finish cooking, around 5 minutes total.

To serve: Once the rice has cooked completely, pull the covered rondoe from the pizza oven and set out to the side. Remove the lid and take the cooked prawns and add to the jambalaya. Add the diced green onions and stir to finish. Place the large pot on a table decorated for Mardi Gras and wow your guests with some delicious NOLA jambalaya.

💚💛💜 Chef Amy Aberle-Rogan

New Orleans Jambalaya