Jambalaya (as best as I can recount) RICE (can cut in half some amounts) -2 boxes Zatarain's - Either jambalaya mix, or beans and rice. If jambalaya, I cook some kidney beans in bacon fat and chicken stock, then add -White rice, cooked (we just mix this in at the end) MEAT -1 lb ground beef -1 bag frozen shrimp, de tailed and cut (I cut in 1/2 longways, and 1/3s) -Chicken - I deboned thighs n' drums, then cut out the cartilage and connective tissue; have used diced breast in the past but you may have to brine or it could get dry if you cook it too long -Andouille sausage, 1.5 johnsonville's (6") or 3/4 if long stick, cut thin as possible -Bacon FATS -Bacon fat *important* I make this by filling a skillet with thick cut (or doubled up regular), putting it on low, and letting it sit for 1-5 hours, flipping before blackened. put bacon on paper towel, let the fat cool, then strain through a single ply paper towel into a container -Butter -Olive oil (optional) VEGETBALES -1 big red onion -1 medium onion -1 red bell pepper -1 green bell pepper -2 tomatoes -1/2 head of garlic (above all diced thin and mixed together) -1 head of roasted garlic, mashed with a fork Take outer layer of garlic skins off, chop the top, put it in foil, olive oil and salt on it, then park in the oven as low as you want for at least 5 hours veg can all be scaled up SPICES -Salt: kosher salt, creole seasoning, seasoned salt, garlic salt, whatever -Black peppercorns with fine and coarse grinders -Paprika, preferably hot hungarian -Onion powder -Garlic powder -Cumin -Parsley, rosemary, oregano -Maybe all-purpose greek seasoning -optional, liquid smoke and worcestershire sauce HOT STUFF -Cayenne, red pepper flake, vinegar-based hot sauces (scale up and add at any point) LIQUID -Beer -White wine -chicken stock (unneccesary but could use for deglazing or with/in place of water) -Water HARDWARE -Preferably non-stick dutch oven, or a big flat-bottomed pot -Spatula or spotted spoon -Bowls for ingredients -Big bowl for cooked meat DIRECTIONS -Render the bacon fat, roast the garlic, dice up the veg, get the meats ready -The objective is to do the meat slow and low in the same pot, so that it gets a nice browning but leaves the fat and fond behind that you can deglaze with liquid -Fry up the ground beef with browned butter on medium low, making sure that it gets nice and brown on all sides. Don't need to break it up much, should crumble into the right size. Season with hamburger type seasonings, like seasoned salt, lots of black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, worcestershire, dash of liquid smoke, a bit of paprika and red pepper. When it looks like it's about to burn, turn up to medium, pour in 1/3 of a beer and cook until it evaporates out, put in a bowl -Turn up to medium, sear the chicken starting skin-side down with the bacon fat (could only do one at a time with the big deboned quarters), let cool on a plate, put the plate drippings back in the pot, and dice -Return chicken to pot, dash of olive oil, creole seasoning, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, parsley, rosemary, oregano, greek seasoning, paprika, until browned all over, then put in the big bowl -Fry sausage in bacon fat with black pepper, paprika, hot sauce, and a dash of salt of your choice. Flip when edges are crispy and brown, maybe use a little whiskey or beer until evap'd, then put in meat bowl -Dash of white wine until reduced by half, then butter until melted, the shrimp, black pepper, garlic, creole seasoning, paprika, onion, garlic, etc. When they have a nice color, add more white wine until evap'd out -Meat is done, put it on medium, deglaze with liquid of your choice and scrape the bits off the sides (a whisk helps). -Fry 1/3 pack of finely diced bacon until crispy (can be before deglazing, as long as you don't boil the bacon it shouldn't matter) -Throw in vegetables with some salt, when sweated turn it down a little and wait until it's as caramelized as you like it --making sure all the little meat bits are scraped off and incorporated. Whole process should take at least half an hour. Can also take extra effort to cook all liquid out and add wine, then cook out again. -Put in the meat mix, mashed garlic, zatarain's, liquid reccomennded on box + 1/2 cup (I just used water, but unsalted stock would also work well), wait to boil, put on low with a lid (DO NOT REMOVE --or you'll lose the steam) -Make the white rice and/or beans if desired -After box-specified time, take lid off, adjust salt, seasonings, hot stuff, and fat/oil. Let continue to cook until the liquid is pretty much all out, then turn off and put the lid on, the rest should reabsorb into the rice -Mix with white rice and prepared beans -Eat! (or wait until the next day for the flavors to co-mingle in the fridge)