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Started By
Message
Had trouble with my jambalaya rice
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:01 am
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:01 am
Cooked a jambalaya for only the third time yesterday, and the rice did not cook. The first time I cooked it, it came out excellent. The second time, they had a few hard pieces of rice. And this time, it was almost inedible. Luckily there weren't many people around to eat it, but it was still a pretty embarrassing experience.
The difference between the first time and the second time was the pot. The first time I cooked it I had used someone else's Magnalite pot, and the last two, my own cast iron 7 qrt pot. I'm assuming the cast iron pot isn't sealing well enough to hold the steam in. (I didn't lift the lid to peep I swear!) Does anyone have any tips?
Also, just to make sure I'm not screwing up the simple stuff, when do you add your rice? And when do you cover, at what temp, and for how long?
The difference between the first time and the second time was the pot. The first time I cooked it I had used someone else's Magnalite pot, and the last two, my own cast iron 7 qrt pot. I'm assuming the cast iron pot isn't sealing well enough to hold the steam in. (I didn't lift the lid to peep I swear!) Does anyone have any tips?
Also, just to make sure I'm not screwing up the simple stuff, when do you add your rice? And when do you cover, at what temp, and for how long?
This post was edited on 2/5/13 at 9:02 am
6
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:17 am to xXLSUXx
I always use a black iron pot to cook mine. After I get all of the other ingredients cooked down the way i like them, I add the stock/water mixture and the rice. I slow roll a little boil and stir for about 7-8 minutes. I then put the lid on and turn the fire completely off. After 10 minutes I quickly give it a stir and replace the lid. 10 more minutes and I repeat, and add green onions. 10 more minutes and its ready to eat!
One problem you can find is switching the grain of the rice. Stick with the same size.
One problem you can find is switching the grain of the rice. Stick with the same size.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:22 am to xXLSUXx
Just speculating here:
Did you have enough water to cook the rice? (at least 2X water to rice).
Did lid fit tightly? Some people wrap the lid-to-pot-seam with a wet towel or tin foil to help seal it - maybe even put a brick on the lid.
Did you keep it hot enough long enough after putting rice in Jambalaya. Need to get a good rolling boil when you put the rice into the pot until it (rice) cracks.
Did your wife come by and remove the lid to "Take a Peek" while you were going after another beer?
Has anyone been messing with your MoJo?
Did you have enough water to cook the rice? (at least 2X water to rice).
Did lid fit tightly? Some people wrap the lid-to-pot-seam with a wet towel or tin foil to help seal it - maybe even put a brick on the lid.
Did you keep it hot enough long enough after putting rice in Jambalaya. Need to get a good rolling boil when you put the rice into the pot until it (rice) cracks.
Did your wife come by and remove the lid to "Take a Peek" while you were going after another beer?
Has anyone been messing with your MoJo?
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:30 am to MeridianDog
quote:
Did you keep it hot enough long enough after putting rice in Jambalaya
This is very important. As he said get it to a rolling boil. Cast iron will hold a lot of heat and if you heat the pot up enough you can almost turn off the fire while the rice cooks (some do it this way, I just turn down to simmer).
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:37 am to purpleNgoldsaint
My jambalaya recipe calls for the lid to stay on for 20 minutes with a simmer going. No lifting of the lid during this time. I've never had an issue. Like others said, make sure you have enough water.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:37 am to xXLSUXx
I finish mine in the oven, uncovered, so my technique is different, but I start of the stove and once I've added the stock, I bring the pot to a boil, add the rice and bring it back to a hard simmer. I give the pot a few slow stirs to insure all of the ingredients are incorporated and then it goes into the oven. Once I learned I needed to return the pot to a slow boil and stir, I have not had an undercooked rice issue.
I use the Prudhomme recipe(s) as a guide on technique...but don't follow his pepper measurements. They are 2 to 3 times larger than necessary.
I use the Prudhomme recipe(s) as a guide on technique...but don't follow his pepper measurements. They are 2 to 3 times larger than necessary.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:39 am to xXLSUXx
I had this problem once with a cast iron. The cast iron will hold the heat in very well but sometimes you need to give the liquid time to come to a really strong boil so the rice will pop
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:41 am to OTIS2
You sure you bring the rice back up to boil and let it go until the rice sucked up a good bit of the water.
This is a critical step I have seen some people rush.
This is a critical step I have seen some people rush.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:46 am to Powerman
quote:
so the rice will pop
Thats what I ment to write!
Pop - not crack.
Rice pops, coffee beans crack - I guess I still have coffee on my mind this morning.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:48 am to xXLSUXx
need more info...
how much water/rice?
how long did you cook the rice and at what heat?
how much water/rice?
how long did you cook the rice and at what heat?
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:56 am to Kajungee
quote:
You sure you bring the rice back up to boil and let it go until the rice sucked up a good bit of the water.
I don't boil that longer before I go to the over. I use a 2 to 1 ratio and once I've added the rice and come back to a slow boil, I give it a good, slow stir, bring back to a hard simmer/slow boil again, and then into the oven. It works well. The La Kitchen recipes...or a few of them...use this method. I'm usually doing a no. 12 pot when I make it.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 10:11 am to OTIS2
Actually now that I think about it, the first time I did it and it came out great, I finished it in the oven.
This time, I had a 1.5 cups of stock/water to 1 cup of rice. Added rice when liquid started to boil, cut the heat to medium low. Stirred until it swelled and absorbed most of the liquid, then cut heat to very low and cover for 10 minutes. Lift lid, roll, recover and let sit another 20 minutes.
I had never used this recipe, couldn't find the one I used the first time. Thought this would do in a pinch.
This time, I had a 1.5 cups of stock/water to 1 cup of rice. Added rice when liquid started to boil, cut the heat to medium low. Stirred until it swelled and absorbed most of the liquid, then cut heat to very low and cover for 10 minutes. Lift lid, roll, recover and let sit another 20 minutes.
I had never used this recipe, couldn't find the one I used the first time. Thought this would do in a pinch.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 10:13 am to Kajungee
quote:
You sure you bring the rice back up to boil and let it go until the rice sucked up a good bit of the water.
This is a critical step I have seen some people rush.
This.
And I never add my rice before the stock is boiling.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 10:39 am to xXLSUXx
quote:
This time, I had a 1.5 cups of stock/water to 1 cup of rice.
This is your likely culprit. Std ratio for rice is always 2 to 1(Liquid to Rice)
Posted on 2/5/13 at 11:00 am to xXLSUXx
(I didn't lift the lid to peep I swear!)
This is not nearly as critical as everyone makes it out to be.
This is not nearly as critical as everyone makes it out to be.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 11:40 am to xXLSUXx
quote:
This time, I had a 1.5 cups of stock/water to 1 cup of rice. Added rice when liquid started to boil, cut the heat to medium low. Stirred until it swelled and absorbed most of the liquid, then cut heat to very low and cover for 10 minutes. Lift lid, roll, recover and let sit another 20 minutes.
This is the culprit. If you are going to use 1.5/1 ratio, you cannot leave the lid off that long after adding the rice. Too much water boils out. 2/1 ratio would be the answer.
I prefer 1.5/1 ratio b/c I like my rice a bit drier, but I cover mine as soon as the liquid comes back to a boil after adding the rice. Reduce to low heat and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff, turn fire off and let sit for 10 minutes.
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