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Help. Can't seem to get my Jambalaya that dark color I'm looking for.

Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:17 am
Posted by daeizbae
New Orleans, Louisiana
Member since Jan 2018
306 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:17 am
I follow the Gonzalez recipe but I can't seem to get it to a darker color. It taste great but lacks that good color. Can someone give me some insight on this? Thanks
Posted by SmokedBrisket2018
Member since Jun 2018
1516 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:26 am to
Just don't tell anyone.

Posted by Tigerpaw123
Louisiana
Member since Mar 2007
17252 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:28 am to
cheat and add kitchen bouquet to your water


or....

keep browning your onions and meat till they get darker


and dont feel bad about using kitchen bouquet

and the Gonzales Jambalaya is really not that dark, the judges want it just as brown as a brown paper bag
This post was edited on 4/12/21 at 10:29 am
Posted by Btrtigerfan
Disgruntled employee
Member since Dec 2007
21366 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:32 am to
Don’t crowd the pot or add too much oil when you brown your meats. You want them to stick to the bottom of the pot some. I do sausage first, pork, then chicken. When you finally get to the onions, they should help you loosen up all of the fond on the bottom of the pot. I also add just a little water first that makes sort of a gravy. I cook that until it thickens and do it again before adding the stock.
Posted by LSU Jonno
Huntsville, AL
Member since Feb 2008
579 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:46 am to
I know a guy that knows a guy that theoretically uses 1 TBS of kitchen bouquet in a 7qt jamb.

You didn't hear that from me, though. And this is at least like 5th hand information, as I definitely don't know that guy, and am surely not that guy...
Posted by Zappas Stache
Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
Member since Apr 2009
38652 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 10:53 am to
Just use tomatoes like god intended. The fact these clowns have to use kitchen bouquet ought to tell you something right there.
This post was edited on 4/12/21 at 10:54 am
Posted by Tornado Alley
Member since Mar 2012
26498 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:08 am to
I cook my chicken until it starts to stick to the pot some. I also cook the vegetables a long time too, until they’re well caramelized. A rich, dark stock never hurts as well.
Posted by CHEDBALLZ
South Central LA
Member since Dec 2009
21909 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:33 am to
Season your protein before you brown it. When you brown your protein dont crowd the pot. I take all my meat out and set aside, then I brown my onions. You have to go way past clear. Brown till they stick, deglaze, repeat that about 6-10 times.

You can also use a darker stock and that happens by cooking longer. When I make mine I bake a family pack of chicken thighs. Debone them, put all the bones and fat back in a pan and let all that bake it till it's nice and brown. I save the chicken for salads, stews, enchiladas. The bones I use to make a stock. Simmer them for a couple hours.

Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
15016 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:36 am to
Deleted due to massive brain fart.

Somehow read gumbo instead of jambalaya.
This post was edited on 4/12/21 at 11:45 am
Posted by SUB
Member since Jan 2001
Member since Jan 2009
20757 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:36 am to
You using a cast iron dutch oven?
Posted by Panny Crickets
Fort Worth, TX
Member since Sep 2008
5596 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:41 am to
quote:

Jambalaya


quote:

I cook my roux



Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
15016 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:43 am to
quote:

Jambalaya

quote:

I cook my roux


Man, for some reason I read gumbo. MY BAD for that post and will delete it.

Horrible advice.
Posted by Showplay
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2011
181 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:54 am to
Brown dat pork good good baw. Use dark chicken stock.
Posted by gmrkr5
NC
Member since Jul 2009
14886 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 11:55 am to
you get your color from cooking your onions down and the gratin from frying your pork. you should not need kitchen bouquet if you do that right
Posted by Abraham H Parnassis
Member since Jul 2020
2552 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 12:08 pm to
You probably aren't adding enough raisins.
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
67006 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 12:10 pm to
You’re not searing your meat enough and you’re not cooking your onions long enough
Posted by daeizbae
New Orleans, Louisiana
Member since Jan 2018
306 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 12:17 pm to
quote:

You using a cast iron dutch oven?


Yes I am.
This post was edited on 4/12/21 at 12:19 pm
Posted by Shexter
Prairieville
Member since Feb 2014
13848 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 1:14 pm to
Read something years ago, tried it, and I stick with it - cook a pound of bacon in your pot before you do anything else, then remove the bacon and eat while you're cooking the rest.
The bacon grease adds flavor and gives my chicken jambalaya just the right amount of brown.



Posted by GeauxTigers0107
South Louisiana
Member since Oct 2009
9706 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 2:00 pm to
quote:

cook a pound of bacon in your pot before you do anything else


Exactly what I do. I get a little fond from that but the cubed boston butt is what really sets the bottom for me. The fat left on each piece helps as well. I just season it and let it stick. Deglaze with a tiny bit of stock and do it again until I have the whole bottom of the pot covered. Then I throw my onions in and a little more stock and deglaze again. That does the trick every time.

OP you're likely not browning your pork enough. And some people start with their onions and just keep cooking them down until they're caramelized like mentioned above. That certainly works too.

Or you can use Kitchen Bouquet. I don't...but don't knock anyone who does. If the flavor is there and the rice is popped, that's all that matters to me.
Posted by DIGGY
Member since Nov 2012
1755 posts
Posted on 4/12/21 at 2:10 pm to
Like others have said brown your onions longer. Sometime browning the meat longer to get color dries it out. Also like others have said add Kitchen Boquet or Savoie’s Browning and Flavor Sauce at 1 tablespoon plus a teaspoon per 64 oz stock/liquid added for a 4 cup rice jambalaya. Will give it that perfect jambalaya color you always see in pictures. Or add two tablespoons if you want it “brown”. Just go to your local Cajun meats store and they will make you do penance for “cheating” by making you eat a couple links of cauliflower boudin!!
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