A great go-to one-pot meal

One pot cooking is a great way for beginners to learn how to cook. While it makes for an easy cook and cleanup, you won’t be lacking in the flavor department. My favorite go-to one pot meal is a South Louisiana classic, Jambalaya.

What makes jambalaya such a great meal is the various variations for the dish. You can use any protein that you like to make a jambalaya. With that in mind, today, I want to share with you two different recipes. The first contains three different meats, Chicken, Pork and Andouille Jambalaya. The second crosses seafood with pork, Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya. They are both very tasty and satisfying meals. So, gather up your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!!!

Chicken, Pork and Andouille Jambalaya

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or canola oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

1 1/2 pounds pork stew meat, cubed

2 tablespoons granulated onion

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced

1 bunch green onions

2 large yellow onions, diced

2 cups diced celery

1 large green bell pepper, diced

12 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken stock

1 bunch chopped parsley

Salt and Creole seasoning to taste

5 cups uncooked long-grain rice

In a 7-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, heat bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook chicken and pork until dark brown on all sides and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 30 minutes. Remove to a mixing bowl. Deglaze pan with a little beef stock between batches if necessary. This step is important, as it adds tons of flavor and gives the jambalaya its characteristic brown color. Mix together granulated onion and garlic and season the meat as you remove it from the pan.

Add andouille and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, until beginning to brown; adding to mixing bowl with pork and chicken.

Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan . Thinly slice green onions, separating tops and bottoms. Add bottoms, onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion is caramelized, about 20 minutes. Do not brown.

Add meats and accumulated pan juices back to pan, add the stock, bring to a full boil, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and Creole seasoning to taste; you need enough salt to season the meat and the rice. Add rice and combine, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, but leave covered otherwise.

Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya

4 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound andouille sausage, diced

2 cups long-grain rice

2 cups beef stock

2 cups seafood stock

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 pound peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp, tails left on

Preheat oven to 325℉.

In a large cast-iron Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove onion mixture from pot; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in pot. Add andouille, cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion mixture, rice, stock, parsley, thyme, Creole seasoning, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover with lid.

Bake in oven until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir in shrimp; let stand, covered, until shrimp are pink and firm, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Remove bay leaves before serving.

You don’t have to follow these recipes to the letter. Feel free to make it your own. If you don’t like andouille, use your favorite sausage. Add or remove ingredients. Cooking is showing the people dining that you care for them. Always cook from the heart.