ROUSES_Fall2023_Magazine

TAILGATE JAMBALAYA Serves 20

had gathered around the pot: They were beyond ready…salivating, positively starving. Tim removed the lid and fluffed the rice, and you could see the sausage, chicken and pork peeking out from within. The jambalaya he revealed was the proper color, a stunning golden brown — a real Gonzales brown! — and the aroma of the dish filled the room. Frustratingly, though, our enjoyment of it was delayed further: It still needed to be photographed. But once that was done, and the magazine cover was set, we grabbed forks and plates, and no one was shy about digging in. Folks, even by the stringent Gonzales standards, it was a master piece. Just to be 100% sure, however, I had seconds. And then thirds. THE PRESEASON GAME When you purchase cast-iron cookware, Tim said, whether a skillet, stovetop pot or giant jambalaya pot, the first thing you must do is season it. This is necessary to protect the pot from rust and the elements. In the old days, these black iron pots came coated in a wax resin that would need to be burned off on an outdoor stove. That is not so much a problem these days, and many come pre-seasoned. If yours is not, however, or if you inherited a little-used pot and want to season it, Tim has some advice. “The old timers used lard,” he said. “You coat the whole thing in lard, and cook it.” Medium is the magic setting. After about an hour, the iron will be pretty hot. Turn off the heat, let the pot cool, and then reheat it again. After it again cools, turn the pot upside down and coat the exterior in lard, and do it all over again. It is important to do this on an outside burner or barbecue pit because the oil will smoke, and you don’t want your house to smell like the back of a fast food restaurant. Tim says lard is fine, but he has an even better method. “I use bacon,” he said. “Good old-fashioned bacon grease.” Slather it inside and out. The process is the same, and you get to eat bacon while you do it. To clean cast-iron cookware, never use soap. This cookware should be cleaned only with hot water and a scouring pad. Each time you use the pot, explained Tim, you can use a little bit of vegetable oil or other light coating to protect the metal from tarnish after rinsing it. But the real secret to keeping your cast iron in top form? “You’ve got to use it!” he said with a laugh.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 12-ounce package Rouses Hickory Smoked Bacon, diced 3 pounds Rouses Smoked Green Onion Sausage, cut into ½-inch slices 3 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, diced into bite-size pieces Salt and pepper, to taste 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced into bite-size pieces Cajun seasoning, to taste 3 (32-ounce) containers of Rouses Fresh Cut Seasoning Mix (or 32 ounces of a blend of onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, parsley and green onions, finely chopped) 2-3 bay leaves 2 (10-ounce) cans original Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles 2 (32-ounce) containers unsalted chicken stock 1 (32-ounce) container unsalted vegetable stock 3 tablespoons Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, or more to taste 3 to 5 dashes hot sauce 3 to 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce 3 to 5 dashes Pickapeppa Sauce 3 pounds of Rouses Parboiled Rice Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and green onions, for garnish HOW TO PREP: Add bacon to a large cast-iron jambalaya pot (10-quart or larger) and cook over medium heat until just crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon and place on paper towels to drain. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, blot some of it out with paper towels. Brown the sausage in the bacon fat, stirring slowly with a long wooden spoon to build color. Transfer the sausage to paper towels to drain, using a slotted spoon so the rendered fat drips back into the pan. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Brown the pork until tender and lightly crispy, stirring slowly with the wooden spoon to build color. Transfer to plate when done. Season the chicken with Cajun seasoning and add it to the pot. Brown the chicken, then add the fresh cut seasoning mix and sauté until the onions in the mix are translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the bay leaves, and sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Return the reserved pork, smoked sausage and bacon to the pot along with the Ro-Tel. Stir in the chicken stock, vegetable stock, additional Cajun seasoning to taste, Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Pickapeppa to the pot, and stir. Turn the heat up to high until the mixture starts to boil, then lower the heat to medium. Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the parboiled rice to the pot and stir until the rice is completely covered with the liquid. Cover the pot. When you see steam escaping from under the lid, reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not remove the lid during this process.

Remove the cover and stir the jambalaya to combine all the flavors. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Top jambalaya with chopped parsley and green onions before serving.

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