Louisiana Campfire Jambalaya

Creole vs. Cajun Jambalaya

When you think about Jambalaya, you think of Louisiana. But many don’t realize there are actually two different styles of cooking it: the Creole way & the Cajun way.

But first, an answer to a common question:

What is the difference between Cajuns and Creoles?

Cajuns are the Louisiana descendants of a French-speaking group of Canadians.

The Eastern part of Canada (what is now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island), was a French territory until the British took it over in 1713.

The new British inhabitants were not a fan of the Catholic, French-speaking people, (known as “Acadians” at the time) who were still living there, and in 1755 they went on a expulsion rampage, burning down their houses to send them fleeing.

Some of these exiled Acadians went to France, others went deeper into Canada, but by about 1763, they began showing up in Louisiana.

Now known as Cajuns, they settled in the rural, Southern portions of the state.

What it means to be considered a Creole, however, has evolved over time.

At the beginning of Louisiana’s statehood, to be “Creole” meant you were born in the Louisiana colonies (as opposed to migrating from Europe or brought on a slave ship from Africa).

Your heritage could’ve been African, French, Spanish, or a mix of multiple, but you were a full-bred product of the “New World”.

Over time, the term “Creole” began to be associated with race — in particular, those of mixed race.

Typically, those who identify as Creole in the modern-day, have a blended background of African, Native American, and European ancestry.

What makes Cajun jambalaya different from Creole jambalaya?

Although very self-sufficient, Cajun families were often poor and cooked what they could gather from the land.

In Cajun Jambalaya, meat is tossed together in a pot with rice and any available vegetables, and cooked covered over low heat for an extended period of time. Flavors simmer together without much input from the cook.

Creoles, on the other hand, had access to more ingredients. This is why in Creole Jambalaya, you’ll often see the addition of tomatoes, giving the dish a reddish color.

The cooking method is different as well — Accustomed to more elegant meals, the Creoles took the Cajun’s “one pot dump meal” and deconstructed it. Each ingredient would be separately added, creating additional flavor as meats and vegetables were allowed to brown and caramelize.

So, which is my Campfire Jambalaya? Both!

In terms of ingredients, you could say this recipe is more Cajun, as I do not include tomatoes. Preparation, however, is more Creole as I like to take the time to layer everything in.

A big thing to remember is that the beauty of jambalaya is you can use what you have on hand. All you really need are a few common kitchen staples. For meat, I use sausage and shrimp, but chicken or pork work well here too.

Note: I make this in a 13.5" cast iron pan I got from Walmart. I do this purely for serving aesthetic, so it can be eaten “paella-style” on the table. Perhaps a more common way is to make this in a cast iron dutch oven over the fire, to which this recipe works as well.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 2 white onions
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 lb Andouille sausage (or other spicy, smoked sausage)
• 1 lb shrimp (peeled, de-veined)
• 4 cups long grain rice
• 5 cups beef stock
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 3 tsp salt
• scallions and/or fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Chop onions, peppers, and scallions/parsley
2. Place cast iron pan on grill grate over medium fire. While you wait for pan to warm (5 min or so), slice sausages to 1/2" thickness
3. Melt butter on pan
4. Add sausages and cook for 5 minutes
5. Add veggies and seasonings and cook with sausage for 10 minutes
6. Add rice & beef stock. Cover with tin foil (or, if using dutch oven, put lid on). Let simmer for 20 minutes until most liquid absorbed
7. Uncover and add shrimp. Mix into rice and re-cover. Continue cooking for additional 5–10 minutes (until shrimp is fully cooked)
8. Remove pan from heat. Top with garnishes of choice and enjoy!

Originally published at https://jetlaggedjill.com on November 7, 2020.