- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Has anyone here cooked jambalaya in a pot >10 gallons on an open fire?
Posted on 5/9/18 at 1:31 pm
Posted on 5/9/18 at 1:31 pm
My bucket list includes a trip to Gonzales for a the Jambalaya Festival and I think they have a competition where they have to do it over an open fire.
I also would like to try doing it as well. Any tips?
I also would like to try doing it as well. Any tips?
6
Posted on 5/9/18 at 5:15 pm to LSUMANINVA
I haven't, but we've had several cooks that cook jambalaya competitively.
Don't expect the best tasting jambalaya from the Gonzales Jambalaya Fest. The rules are so strict, it basically amounts to how well a cook can get the rice to cook "properly". It's not about best possible flavor.
Also see the Jambalaya Calculator.
Don't expect the best tasting jambalaya from the Gonzales Jambalaya Fest. The rules are so strict, it basically amounts to how well a cook can get the rice to cook "properly". It's not about best possible flavor.
Also see the Jambalaya Calculator.
Posted on 5/9/18 at 9:00 pm to Stadium Rat
Nobody else is responding to this?
Posted on 5/9/18 at 9:21 pm to Stadium Rat
quote:
Don't expect the best tasting jambalaya from the Gonzales Jambalaya Fest. The rules are so strict, it basically amounts to how well a cook can get the rice to cook "properly". It's not about best possible flavor.
Merely guideline. Those 5 gallon buckets of water have awfully dirty water.
Fire needs to have coals, then work it just like a burner on a stove.
This post was edited on 5/9/18 at 9:23 pm
Posted on 5/9/18 at 9:28 pm to LSUMANINVA
I’ll bite. I cook in the festival every year. I’m cooking the first heat Friday morning (I hope).
I’ll give you any tips you want. Ask away. Stop by my and say hi if you make it out and I’ll talk your ear off about it
And this:
Unfortunately is true. It’s not the rules that’s the problem so much as it’s shitty chicken jambalaya. It’s very rare to find someone that prefers that over pork and sausage. In fact they struggle to sell it every year so they cook a pork and sausage jambalaya to sell and most of the cooks jam goes to waste.
It’s not completely just a rice cooking contest although that’s a big challenge for some. They look for chicken flavored rice. It’s not a jambalaya you’d cook for a tailgate for sure. I cook two different jambalayas. One when I cook for people that everyone enjoys and one that’s just for the festival.
I’ll give you any tips you want. Ask away. Stop by my and say hi if you make it out and I’ll talk your ear off about it
And this:
quote:
Don't expect the best tasting jambalaya from the Gonzales Jambalaya Fest. The rules are so strict, it basically amounts to how well a cook can get the rice to cook "properly". It's not about best possible flavor.
Unfortunately is true. It’s not the rules that’s the problem so much as it’s shitty chicken jambalaya. It’s very rare to find someone that prefers that over pork and sausage. In fact they struggle to sell it every year so they cook a pork and sausage jambalaya to sell and most of the cooks jam goes to waste.
It’s not completely just a rice cooking contest although that’s a big challenge for some. They look for chicken flavored rice. It’s not a jambalaya you’d cook for a tailgate for sure. I cook two different jambalayas. One when I cook for people that everyone enjoys and one that’s just for the festival.
This post was edited on 5/9/18 at 9:32 pm
Posted on 5/9/18 at 9:33 pm to LSUMANINVA
Yes. Cooking the big pots is actually easier than cooking the mini pots. Typically, you want a team of at least two, so that one team member can focus purely on the fire and the other can focus purely on stirring the pot. The other key tip is to have everything already pre-chopped and pre-measured before you start to ensure you don't have a flare-up burn what's in the pot while you're too busy getting that last onion cut up. To control your fire, you're going to need a wind shield and a partner who knows how to use it. A good/bad fire man can make/break a team.
What makes the Jambalaya Festival challenging is the strict rules. Teams cannot use store-bought pre-mixed seasonings. They cannot use additives like Kitchen Bouquet for color. They cannot use pork or sausage, only chicken on the bone.
The only ingredients one is allowed are:
Yellow Onions
Green Onions
Red Hot Sauce
Celery
Black Pepper
Garlic (Fresh & Granulated)
Red Pepper
Bell Peppers
Salt
Cooking Oil
AND set amounts of rice and chicken depending on what round of the competition you're in.
You've got to be pretty damn good to coax award-winning flavor (and color) out of that chicken.
Basically, the rules are strict to make it harder to make a tasty jambalaya which levels the playing field ingredients-wise, making it truly a skill competition.
What makes the Jambalaya Festival challenging is the strict rules. Teams cannot use store-bought pre-mixed seasonings. They cannot use additives like Kitchen Bouquet for color. They cannot use pork or sausage, only chicken on the bone.
The only ingredients one is allowed are:
Yellow Onions
Green Onions
Red Hot Sauce
Celery
Black Pepper
Garlic (Fresh & Granulated)
Red Pepper
Bell Peppers
Salt
Cooking Oil
AND set amounts of rice and chicken depending on what round of the competition you're in.
You've got to be pretty damn good to coax award-winning flavor (and color) out of that chicken.
Basically, the rules are strict to make it harder to make a tasty jambalaya which levels the playing field ingredients-wise, making it truly a skill competition.
This post was edited on 5/9/18 at 9:36 pm
Posted on 5/10/18 at 4:28 am to kingbob
Great info... thanks. Is there ever a “real” jambalaya competition...where people can use their own recipes? Seems like that would be a good draw.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 6:59 am to LSUMANINVA
Just about every other jambalaya cookoff around is that way. The Baton Rouge United Way Jambalaya Jam is probably the biggest.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 7:27 am to LSUMANINVA
quote:
Great info... thanks. Is there ever a “real” jambalaya competition...where people can use their own recipes? Seems like that would be a good draw.
Check out Clash of the Cooks. It's next weekend. It's a open rules jambalaya contest.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 9:03 am to LSUMANINVA
The cooks of the JFA actually own the record for largest rice dish by the Guiness Book of World Records.
It was cooked in Mike Gonzales's syrup kettle.
We had to cook it 2 years in a row because there was a dispute with a group in Spain that cooked a paella.
It was cooked in Mike Gonzales's syrup kettle.
We had to cook it 2 years in a row because there was a dispute with a group in Spain that cooked a paella.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 9:20 am to 2 Jugs
quote:
We had to cook it 2 years in a row because there was a dispute with a group in Spain that cooked a paella
That was probably a pain, but it gave me a good chuckle.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 9:26 am to 2 Jugs
Is that the "1000 plate" kettle?
Have seen it used a few times. Way too much jambalaya.
Have seen it used a few times. Way too much jambalaya.
This post was edited on 5/10/18 at 9:27 am
Posted on 5/10/18 at 9:56 am to fightin tigers
LINK
Guiness webpage didnt have a photo of the pot.
650 lbs of rice
Guiness webpage didnt have a photo of the pot.
650 lbs of rice
This post was edited on 5/10/18 at 9:58 am
Posted on 5/10/18 at 10:16 am to 2 Jugs
Posted on 5/10/18 at 10:21 am to Stadium Rat
Bum Phillips always made the best jamb.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 2:33 pm to Stadium Rat
My dad volunteered to help stir the pot for a while, but he’s not in that picture. Several other relatives are, though.
This post was edited on 5/10/18 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 5/10/18 at 2:53 pm to kingbob
I did get to stir and work the fire on both. But the 2nd year I was cooking when they started the fire and didn't get to help as much as I wanted to.
Posted on 5/10/18 at 5:59 pm to LSUMANINVA
Clash of the Cooks competition on campus next Saturday the 19th is a great event that has fairly lax rules....check out the website, www.clashofthecooks.com.
Great family event that raises money to help local families battling cancer.
Great family event that raises money to help local families battling cancer.
Posted on 5/11/18 at 7:49 am to LSUMANINVA
I don’t know about the oversized pot, but making jambalaya on an open fire isn’t really that different from making anything else on an open fire. It adds some challenges, but it also adds some fun and (I think) some flavor as well.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News