Spicy One Pot Jambalaya (Backpacking Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What makes jambalaya less spicy? ›

How do I make my jambalaya less spicy? Jambalaya is only as spicy as the ingredients you use. If you'd like to make a mild jambalaya, don't add any cayenne pepper or other hot spices, and make sure any sausage you use isn't a spicy variety.

P.S. just remember for every 5 lbs of meat you feed 20 people jambalaya. So for 100 people you should use 20 lbs of meat and half that (10lbs) of rice. You can use the proportion of pork to sausage as 75/25. So for 100 people you would use 15 lbs of pork and 5 lbs of sausage, 10 lbs of rice.

It evolved from French mirepoix, a medley of carrots, celery, and onions. Since carrots don't grow well in the bayou of Louisiana, French immigrants replaced carrots with bell peppers, and the trinity was born. The trinity is the foundational flavor of both gumbo and jambalaya.

Add 1 ¼ cup water and the contents of the veggies + spices bag to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Add instant rice, stir, and remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes.

The potatoes will soak up some of the spice. (You can fish them out before serving, if it's not reasonable to have potatoes in the dish or you just don't want them there.) You can also add sour cream or yogurt, if it would go, to cut down on the spice levels.

One of the primary differences in Cajun jambalaya as opposed to the Creole variant is the absence of tomatoes. Instead, it relies on a dark roux (which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat) to achieve a deep, smoky flavor. Country meats like andouille sausage, tasso ham, or game meats take center stage.

This jambalaya serves about 50 portions. We make it in a 5 gallon cast iron pot. Go big or go home, right? This dish serves a big crowd and is great for parties.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

This Easy Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya is a great make-ahead dish.

To make classic jambalaya, you will need: The Cajun/Creole “holy trinity”: Celery, onion and green bell pepper (although for some extra color, I've also used red and yellow bell peppers). Jalapeño and cayenne: For heat. Feel free to add more or less of either, depending on your heat preferences.

Should jambalaya have tomatoes? ›

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana. The recipe I'm focusing on here is the former, with tomato.

There are two types of jambalaya: Cajun and Creole. Cajun jambalaya originates from the bayous of Louisiana, featuring andouille sausage and various veggies. Creole jambalaya incorporates tomatoes and shrimp, using influences from Spain, France, and African locals.

How to Dehydrate Grains, Pasta and Legumes. Rice, quinoa, pasta and beans can all be dried ahead of time and then incorporated into tasty meals like chicken and veggie quinoa, bean soup, and spaghetti with meat sauce.

Backpacking lunch ideas: Jerky; peanut butter and jelly in small tube containers; energy bars; dried fruits; nuts; sandwich thins with tuna; tortillas with peanut butter; pita with dehydrated or fresh hummus or hummus bowl; bagels with cream cheese; summer sausage and cheese; crackers with smoked salmon; ramen noodles; ...

Figure 1/2 cup per serving of uncooked rice for trail appetites. Cook your rice how you prefer making sure you don't add in oil or fat. For white rices I often bring 3 cups water to a boil and add in 1 1/2 cups rinsed rice, bring it back to a boil, stir well and put the lid on.

Adding something sweet to a too-spicy dish is another great way to reduce spiciness. A sprinkle of sugar or honey should do the trick. Or add a touch of sweet ketchup. If it's a tomato-based sauce, stir in a little more tomato sauce and maybe a touch of sugar.

Kielbasa, a Polish sausage, is an excellent stand-in for Andouille in gumbo. Its smoky flavor and coarse texture make it a close match, although it's generally less spicy.