Spicy One Pot Jambalaya (Backpacking Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Zatarain's jambalaya not so spicy? ›

Zatarain's makes a mild variety of our Jambalaya Mix, but it's easy to reduce the spice level of any Jambalaya mix by replacing half (or more or less) of the mix with white rice before preparing.

Gypsy note: If you are not a lover of heat, reduce both the cayenne and chili powder (paprika has little heat, it's mild and smokey). This dish has heat, it's supposed to, it's Cajun. I would give this a solid three out of five on the Gypsy heat-o-meter that's why it's called 'spicy'.

If it's too dry, put the lid back on to keep the steam trapped and give the rice time to absorb more liquid. If it's too wet, take the lid off to let the steam out so more liquid can evaporate. This takes practice, so don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get it right.

Sweet Defeats Heat

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.

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.

A cajun jambalaya, I'm reliably informed, should be somewhat dry, even slightly browned on the bottom, which rules out the soupier, wetter texture of those creole versions using tomatoes (Oliver advises cooks to aim for a “porridgey” consistency).

So What Makes Them Different? The main difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine is that Cajun cuisine is typically spicier than Creole cuisine. This is because Cajun cuisine uses more spices, such as cayenne pepper and paprika. Creole cuisine, on the other hand, is typically milder.

Add in the uncooked rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir. Cover and cook. Then cook for 25-30 minutes, being sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so (to prevent burning) until the rice is nearly tender.

Can you overcook jambalaya? ›

Problem: Complicated to make, jambalaya is usually overcooked and underseasoned. The dish is an unappealing mixture of rubbery shrimp, dry chicken, and gummy rice bound in a thin, watery tomato base. Goal: We wanted fluffy rice with perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken, shrimp, and sausage.

Most jambalaya recipes don't call for thickeners like roux or okra, though some people use cornstarch as a thickener if the dish needs it. Most of all, the role of rice distinguishes gumbo and jambalaya.

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.

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

For those in the family who want a bit more heat, there's always a bottle of hot sauce on the table. For those who need to cut the heat a bit further, there's sour cream to top the Jambalaya with. In addition to the spices, the type of sausage you choose will determine the level of heat in the final recipe.

Add Some Starches. The easiest way to tone down a spicy dish is to serve a smaller portion with plenty of rice, bread, potatoes, pasta, or plain starch to counter the heat. For soups and stews, raw and starchy vegetables like potatoes or carrots work well.

Tasty Stuff! This Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix is very easy to prepare and is very tasty too. It's got a bit of spice to it, which I love!