Name: Dutch Oven Jambalaya (Authentic Cajun Recipe from Paul Prudhomme)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Seafood
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons Gumbo filé powder; 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional); 1 teaspoon smoked hot Spanish paprika (or chili powder); 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves; 2 teaspoons salt (only 1 if you are using smoked meats); 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder; 2 teaspoons ground white pepper; 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp. Boil the shells for 2 hour in 4 cups of water to make broth.; 1 whole crab - save shells for broth; 1 pound crawfish, langostino, or oysters - save shells for broth; 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, free-range, air-chilled, chopped into 1x1 inch slices; 1/2 pound Tasso ham (or smoked ham hocks or cooked pork shoulder, roasted with ⅓ of the Cajun seasoning or spicy sausage); 1 pound smoked Andouille sausage; 2 cups broth from boiled down shrimp, crab, crawfish, or lobster shells; 1 large sweet onion, diced; 1 large red bell pepper, diced; 5 stalks of celery, sliced thick; 5 large cloves of garlic, crushed, DIVIDED; 1 large can of Cento-certified San Marzano tomatoes, including the juices; ½ cup olive oil (you can also use ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup duck fat), DIVIDED; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 cups long-grain white rice (*See Note 1 about multiplying for a bigger crowd); 5 -6 bay leaves

Description

An authentic one pot Cajun Dutch Oven Jambalaya, born one magical night in the Bayou and perfected by John Leekely in long talks with famed chef, Paul Prudhomme.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Cajun Seasoning

2 teaspoons Gumbo filé powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked hot Spanish paprika (or chili powder)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt (only 1 if you are using smoked meats)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
2 teaspoons ground white pepper

Proteins

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp. Boil the shells for 2 hour in 4 cups of water to make broth.
1 whole crab - save shells for broth
1 pound crawfish, langostino, or oysters - save shells for broth
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, free-range, air-chilled, chopped into 1x1 inch slices
1/2 pound Tasso ham (or smoked ham hocks or cooked pork shoulder, roasted with 1/3 of the Cajun seasoning or spicy sausage)
1 pound smoked Andouille sausage

Broth

2 cups broth from boiled down shrimp, crab, crawfish, or lobster shells

Vegetable Mixture

1 large sweet onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
5 stalks of celery, sliced thick
5 large cloves of garlic, crushed, DIVIDED
1 large can of Cento-certified San Marzano tomatoes, including the juices
1/2 cup olive oil (you can also use 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup duck fat), DIVIDED
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups long-grain white rice (*See Note 1 about multiplying for a bigger crowd)
5 -6 bay leaves

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Instructions

Cue Up The Episode!

Make sure to listen to John and Rebekah on The Storied Recipe Podcast, "Time in The Kitchen: What We Will Remember Always with John and Rebekah Leekley" while you make their Jambalaya!

Make The Recipe

Make Cajun Spice Mix

You'll be using this mix throughout the cooking process, so prepare it first

Prepare Seafood and Make the Broth

Shell and devein as necessary
If making your own seafood broth, add seafood shells to 4-8 cups of water (enough to cover the shells in a stockpot)
Boil for 2 hours, then strain out the shells

Chop Vegetables For Vegetable Mixture

Shop into similar sized pieces.

Make Jambalaya in the Dutch Oven

Cut chicken thighs into 1 1/2 inch chunks and salt and pepper.
Over medium heat, warm up half of the olive oil (and duck fat, if using).
Crush in half the garlic, add the chicken.
Sprinkle on ⅓ of the Cajun seasoning and fry the chicken until seared.
Add the sausage and fry until the chicken is ⅔ cooked.
Remove the meats, cover, and set aside.
In a big bowl, using your hands, combine all of the shrimp/shellfish. Sprinkle on ⅓ of the Cajun seasoning, mixing well.
In the same pan as before, gently fry the shellfish on low heat until the shrimp just starts to plump and absorb all of the seasonings. Remove, cover, and put aside.
In the same Dutch Oven, warm up the rest of the olive oil and duck fat and crush the remaining garlic into the warm oils and heat until the garlic melts in.
Increasing the heat to medium-high, sauté the uncooked, rinsed rice, stirring constantly until slightly browned and coated with seasoned oils. This will take about five minutes.
Remove the rice and set aside. In the same big pan, sauté the onions in the same oils until opaque. Add the bell peppers, celery, and the rest of the Cajun seasoning and fry until just softened, about 10 minutes.
Add back the rice and meats, stir in all the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Be sure to scrape all the crust off the bottom of the pan, that’s where the deep flavors and patina are.
Simmer with the lid off until the rice has absorbed the broth but it is still slightly crunch, about 15 minutes.
IF making a double batch for a crowd, mix them all together in a large roasting pan. Cover well and place in 350°F / 175°C oven for 30+ minutes.
Now add the shellfish and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes until they are married.
If rice is not cooking through, add more broth.

Notes

Note 1: When multiplying for a crowd, add 1/2 lb of uncooked rice and 1 cup broth for every pound of protein.
Make sure to listen to John and Rebekah on The Storied Recipe Podcast, Episode 041: Time in The Kitchen: What We Will Remember Always with John and Rebekah Leekley while you make their Jambalaya.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 2 hours
Category: Chicken, Main Dish, Pork Dishes
Cuisine: Seafood, Southern Cooking

Nutrition

Calories: 300