re: Jambalaya conundrum....sticky , mushy rice

I use medium grain rice at a 1:1 ratio rice to liquid and it comes out fine. Put the stock in first then add the rice, stir it in, bring to boil reduce heat cover for 15 minutes then gentle stir again recover cook another 10-12 minutes until rice is done. I think you have too much liquid so rice keeps soaking it in and gets mushy.

The problem is there are so many variations just from this one thread.

Some say let rice boil/pop for 1 minute
Some say do it for 8 minutes
Some say cover with no heat
Some say cover on lowest heat
Some say don’t open lid at all for 25 minutes
Some say stir after 10 minutes

I used to have the same issue with mushy rice. I reduced the amount of onion and liquid and that helped. Jambalaya is onion heavy and onions have a lot of water...they also get soft and mushy when cooked that way...so more onion will give the dish a more mushy feel.

quote:

---

The problem is there are so many variations just from this one thread.

---

Yes I hear you. But mine works every time, same as Stadium Rat.

You can peak at 8-10 minutes, stir, and close again, that will work. I don't peak until 20 min.

However, that shite will not cook if you turn off the heat after you put the rice in. The rice will be hard and undercooked.

Don't rinse the rice.

One thing I do differently is I employ the pilaf method. Obviously, it's not traditional but I like the results.

After browning the meat, removing it, and sweating the trinity, I add my rice and stir to coat it with the cooking oil that's in the pan from the previous steps.

I do this before adding the liquid because it results in firmer, more flavorful rice grains with less stickiness and mushiness than straight steamed rice.

I also reduce the liquid by about 20% because it's going in after the rice and there is extra exposure as the liquid heats up to boil temperature.

So for 2:1 liquid to rice ratio I'm using more of a 1.75:1 ratio.

After adding the liquid, bring the contents to a boil, stir one time, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes, remove lid and quickly fluff with a fork, re-cover and rest 10 additional minutes.

Never sticky nor mushy, but still has that Jambalaya texture.