A black pot of Cajun Pork Jambalaya is a defining Cajun recipe that speaks the language of Louisiana. But as is the case with many Louisiana dishes, there are two distinctly different styles of jambalaya in Louisiana–Creole and Cajun.
A black pot of rural Cajun pork jambalaya is a traditional Cajun recipe. (All photos credit: George Graham)
Perhaps, it is this Cajun recipe that most defines the two culinary cultures. The point is that Creole jambalaya includes tomatoes while traditional Cajun pork jambalaya does not. On the other hand, a Cajun recipe for jambalaya has a smoky, spicy flavor that originates from readily available smokehouse meats along with access to fresh-killed poultry or the bounty of the swamp. These are the building blocks of a tasty jambalaya and improvisation results in innovative combinations that become classics.
I’ve discovered that one key to great Cajun pork jambalaya is to sauté and brown all of the ingredients–meats and vegetables–in a cast-iron pot. This is what gives a Cajun recipe for jambalaya its bronze color and rich flavor. In addition, I like to deglaze the pot with beer before adding the stock and long-grain rice.
But to become a jambalaya master, it is important to start first with a basic rural Cajun pork jambalaya. In all Cajun cooking, this is a dish you will always see at a traditional French Acadian boucherie–the slaughtering of a whole hog. Armed with fresh pork, a variety of smoked sausages along with vegetables, herbs and spices, this Cajun recipe will introduce you to the fundamental principles. Soon you will be ready to jump into jambalaya cooking to explore the delicious depth of Cajun cooking.
- 4 strips of smoked bacon, chopped
- 2 cups diced onion
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 cups sliced smoked pork sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup sliced andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup diced tasso
- 1 cup diced ham
- ½ cup beer
- 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup diced green onion tops
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- Dash of hot sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups uncooked Louisiana long-grain white rice, such as Supreme
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a large, heavy cast-iron pot with a heavy lid over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon, chop into pieces and save for later.
- Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper to the bacon drippings. Cook until translucent and add the garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes and then remove the vegetables to a platter.
- In the same pot, add the sausages, tasso, and ham. Continue to sauté until the meats turn brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer and scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot while stirring.
- Add the bacon pieces, all of the browned vegetables, parsley, and green onions. Add the cayenne and a couple of shakes of hot sauce along with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the rice to the pot and stir until evenly distributed. Add the stock and stir again.
- Here is the important point of jambalaya cooking – cover the pot and place in the hot oven for 1 hour. Open a cold beer and forget about it. Do not stir or even raise the lid on the pot for the first hour. In that hour, all the flavors are coming together, and the rice is gently cooking.
- At the end of 1 hour, take a peek, but do not stir (or it will become sticky and starchy). Make sure most of the stock has been absorbed and take a taste to see if the rice is cooked to at least al dente. If so, turn off the oven, cover the pot and let it continue cooking in the carryover heat of the oven for another 20 minutes.
- When your guests are seated, remove the pot from the oven and place in the middle of the table. Uncover and dig in. Oh, and be sure to have lots of French bread and ice-cold beer.
Cajun Pork jambalaya — a recipe that defines Cajun cooking.
YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE: If you like this Cajun cooking story and Cajun recipe then accept my personal invitation to subscribe by entering your email at the bottom or top right of this page. It’s quick and painless. You will receive an email alert and be the first to see when new Cajun cooking stories and Cajun recipes are added. Thanks, George.
Baked jambalaya.
I’ve made jambalaya dozens of times and always cook it on a low flame, in a 5 quart Dutch oven (over 100 years old) on the stovetop.
I’m making it this afternoon and will adopt your method.
Now I’ve got to root around in the freezer and find the andouille from Don’s Specialty Meats.
Thanks for all the great recipes man.
RL – Like most dishes, there are lots of ways to arrive at a good jambalaya, and I’ve found this one to be the most consistently good. Thanks for the comment. Best, George
I made this recipe yesterday with Poche’s Pork Jambalaya Mix. It was delicious. The rice was nice & fluffy. I never liked Jambalaya because every time I had it or made it, the rice was mushy. Your technique really works. Even though I used a prepared mix, I added some chicken stock I had in the freezer & a cup of water. Used your method & it was perfect; my family loved it! I already ordered The Cookbook can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks
April – With the name “April Green” you must be a delight. And with your take on my jambalaya recipe, I am delighted. Thanks for ordering the cookbook, and be sure to check out the Creole Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya recipe on page 76. All the best.
I will try the oven next time. I am curious if the oven Jambalaya makes the grattan like the cooktop does.
Hey Donald – Depending on how much liquid you add, the temperature of your oven, and the amount of time, it should dry out and crust on the bottom during baking. Mine did. All the best, and thanks for a great question.
For some reason I stopped getting your blog posts for a while. I had to look you up and subscribe again. Now you are back and I am happy. Missed your stories, recipes and gorgeous photography. Thanks for your work. jeanne
Hey Jeanne- I’ve been missing your great comments. Welcome back to the family. Best, George
Looks like a great recipe, like the idea of finishing in oven vs stove top. Will be trying this recipe out, but will not be able to source Tasso, any alternative suggestions?
Hey Bob – Good question. If you don’t want to purchase tasso online at Cajungrocer.com, simply use a quality smoked ham. Best, George
Hey George, what is tasso?
Hey Nita-
Asking what is tasso? is like asking a Cajun what is the secret to life? It is spiced and smoked pork shoulder that is an essential ingredient in many Cajun and Creole dishes. There is no real substitute, but in some recipes, I recommend smoked ham if you cannot find tasso. On my food blog, be sure to go to “The Cajun Creole Dictionary” (in the sidebar on the right) for an explanation of tasso and many other culinary terms. And also, go to the search bar (in the sidebar on the right) and type in the search term “tasso” for every recipe of mine that uses it. All the best.
Hey George,
Just coming to say that this was a killer recipe with some solid ideas. Had a lot of fun making this and it was very well received.
Good morning, Im making a pot of jambalaya tomorrow for the first time. My dad has a killer recipe but is currently out of town and im unable to get his help. My question is on step 4 when you say to “Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer and scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot while stirring.” Do I leave this beer/bits mixture in the pot, then move on to step 5, or dump it out and move on to step 5?
Thanks for your time sir,
Danny
Hey Danny-
Great question that needs some clarification. When sauteing, there is always tasty bits and pieces of flavor left at the bottom of the pan. By deglazing with stock, wine, or in this case beer, you are redistributing those flavors and preventing them from sticking and burning during the long cooking time. Definitely keep everything in the pot and continue on with the recipe. Happy Jambalaya Day (and Father’s Day)!
I so love your blog, recipes, photos and tour of acadiana.
For this recipe, I have a question….I see that that the only liquid is from 1/2 cup beer and 4 cups stock( and from the meat and veggies). Then 4 cups uncooked rice. Correct me if I am off base here, but I have always done a 2 to 1 ratio, water to rice. This seems like a lot of rice for a medium black iron pot. Would not 4 cups stock to two cups uncooked rice be correct, or am I missing something?
Love your site,
Thank you for many tips already in deep rotation in my cooking,
Jason
Jason – Cooking rice in the oven in a pot with a heavy lid is all about the steam that is trapped inside. That is why I urge you not to lift the lid and peek inside during the first hour of cooking. Give it a try as written, the rice should cook perfectly. All the best.
George,
I cooked your recipe exactly…well, I used a # 8 cast iron pot so reduced the rice to 3 cups, but used 3 cups of stock as keeping with the 1 -1 ratio, the rice came out perfectly !
My wife who grew up eating her grandmother’s and mother’s jambalaya (Ranyne ,LA) said it was the best ever. I agree, thank you so much, I would never of thought of this on my own without a lot or bad experiements.
I look forward to using a lot of your recipes.
Thank you,
Jason
Hey Jason – Glad your jambalaya was a success. The black pot/oven method is easier and ensures perfection every time. All the best.
Can you substitute brown rice? If so how does that change the proportions of stock?
Hey Errin – Although rarely seen in Acadiana, you can make a version of jambalaya with brown rice. I urge you to go with long grain brown rice, and instead of the usual 2:1 ration of liquid to rice which can tend to be mushy, I suggest you try 1 1/2:1 ratio. I cannot guarantee the results, but give it a try and let us know how it works. All the best.
Searching for jambalaya recipes that weren’t filled with tomatoes! I want to make this for the Super Bowl. I have a few questions. I don’t have a cast iron pot. Will an All Clad do? Can I double the recipe? Do you have suggestions for adding chicken and or shrimp? Thanks so much!!!!
Hey Sandy – For the most part, a Creole jambalaya has tomatoes, a Cajun jambalaya does not. That said, there are endless variations of each. Adding shrimp with a chicken and sausage jambalaya would be very tasty. Any pot will do; I prefer the heat conduction that cast iron brings to browning the ingredients. Follow the recipe for the Cajun Pork Jambalaya and you can’t go wrong. As for doubling the recipe, it is scalable with one recommendation: Go easy on doubling the spices (cayenne, salt, and pepper); you can always add more after tasting the final dish. Thanks for the comment.
I love your jambalaya recipe. Absolutely delicious. Cooked it today in a Cajun Classic cast iron chicken fryer. Being that it was my first time to cook jambalaya it was way better than I expected it to be. I attribute it to your recipe. Didn’t have beer so deglazed with red wine and it worked great. And as much as I wanted to lift the lid and check rice at 30 minutes I didn’t. Glad I didn’t because at an hour rice was perfect.
I grew up in Lake Charles and now live in Tulsa. I love your blog because it focuses on the foods and culture of Southwest Louisiana. Merci beaucoup.
Hey Kevin- Glad your jambalaya was a hit in Tulsa. And thanks for your comments. All the best.
Would this work in a slow cooker?
Hey Sean – I’ve never made jambalaya in a slow cooker, but I would be concerned that it would turn out soupy or mushy since there is no true “baking” going on, as happens in a cast-iron pot. You certainly wouldn’t have the crusty, brown gratin that forms at the bottom of the pot. All that said, give it a try and let us know how it turns out. I am curious to know, and if you have good results, I will post it to the recipe notes. All the best.
We all have our own technique of making jambalaya. My personal touch is I smoke my chicken and other meats on my pit first to give it that extra flavor. But my hat is off to your way of finishing your jambalaya by putting it in the oven is awesome. I did it last night and it came out wonderfully. It was perfect. Not mushy or sticky.
Great idea.
Hey T-Claude – And I really like your extra step of smoking the meats that go into the jambalaya; that adds another dimension of flavor. Thanks for the great comment.
Instead of ham, can another cut of pork be used, perhaps a pork butt or roast and a small amount of sausage if any? If so, how would I do it, thanks
Hey Ron, Sure. This is a pork jambalaya and I’ve made it with a variety of pork cuts. Instead of ham, chop pieces of cooked pork shoulder or pork roast. I’ve even used leftover spareribs and pork chops in my jambalaya. The key is to maintain the relationship of meat to rice with just enough spice. All the best.
Enjoyed reading the great comments and the also great recipe. Will look forward to more!
Thanks, Betty!
Really like this site
If you wanted to add chicken to this, would you use thighs? How would you prepare the chicken?
Johanna – Chicken thighs are moist and flavorful, and are one of my favorite ingredients. Just brown the chicken with the sausage and continue with the recipe as written. Best to you.
Have you ever added some seasoned roasted shrimp at the end, or is it better to stick with just sausage and pork?
Johanna – I like to stick with tradition with this jambalaya and let the pork flavors dominate. That said, when adding shrimp to a jambalaya or even a gumbo, I would always use raw shrimp to prevent them from overcooking. All the best.
One more question, if you don’t mind. Can I double or triple the recipe successfully if I have a pot large enough? ( I have a large turkey thick Magnalite roaster and lid from the 50s that would hold it all and go into the oven.) I just didn’t know if making that large a batch would mess up the rice cooking? Thanks in advance.
Johanna – Jambalaya is the kind of dish that scales up easily. The only adjustment I recommend is to only use the original amount of bacon and bacon drippings for sauteing the vegetables. All else should double or triple to feed a larger crowd. All the best.
Just one more question ( I promise!) Do you rinse the rice before adding?
Johanna- Not necessary to rinse the rice.
Making it today! Ordered your book as well. Thanks so much for your prompt answers!
Johanna
I’m planning on throwing a big party for Mardis Gras, and I’m about to test this recipe out. Coming up with quality substitutes will be more interesting here in Okinawa, Japan. I haven’t had a good Jambalaya in years, really looking forward to it.
Hey Mike – Find a long-grain white rice (not Japanese short grain sushi rice) and you’ll be off to a good start. Meat, sausage and seasonings will certainly be different, but should translate into a great jambalaya. Let us know how it turns out.
I made a test batch with the sausage I could easily find at the store here. It was far too fine, but the jambalaya was fantastic. I ordered a grinder and casings and I’m just going to make my own sausage. The pork here is fantastic, so once I smoke it, this will be awesome.
I’m about to try your gumbo as well. Really happy to have found your site.
Mike – Thanks for the recap. I will admit that I am blessed to live in a smokehouse culture with an abundance of tasty Cajun smoked pork sausage. Let us know how your sausage-making experiment turns out. All the best.
Hi there, very excited to try this recipe! I need to make this for about 25-30 people. When you say this recipe serves 6, is that huge servings? I am trying to figure out if tripling this recipe is enough?
There will be other food; this is not only dish. I also only have two Dutch ovens, so does the rice cook all the way to the top? Wondering if I can cook 1.5 at a time? Thanks for your help!
Hey Shelley – Yes, my serving size is entree portion, so if you have other dishes, this recipe will go far beyond 6 servings. This recipe is easily scalable and can be split between your 2 Dutch ovens provided they are large enough to accommodate that much rice. It is crucial to have a tight-fitting lid that will contain the heat and steam in order to fully cook the rice. All the best.
George,
I love your book Acadiana Table Cajun and Creole Home Cooking.
I have not tried any recipes in the book yet, but getting ready to. I did
do the smothered pork chops–came out just great. Pork chop recipe
came from your site. The chops were tender and flavorful. Used
Rox’s Roux for the first time; great product. It does save a lot of time, and I Will be recommending the roux to my friends.
My next recipe to try is the Creole Meatballs in Red Gravy. I just
love meatballs with different flavors.
I was wondering if my 3 quart cast iron pot is large enough to cook
your Cajun Pork Jambalaya.
Thanks
Bill
Hey Bill- Thanks for the positive comments. With one quart equals 4 cups, I would think your 3-quart pot will be large enough. Give it a try, but make sure you keep the lid on during cooking in the oven. Best to you.
Hi, George
How does this recipe refrigerate? I plan on refrigerating it overnight, but it’s for a project, so I need it be spot on. If not, should I try cooking it the morning the day of?
Thanks a lot; get back as soon as possible.
Hey Jordana- Yes, jambalaya can be made the day before and reheated with superb results. Think about it: We’ve all dined on delicious chef-made jambalaya and all restaurants make it ahead and reheat per individual order. All the best.
I am wondering about the ratio between rice and chicken stock being 1:1. It seems like most other recipes, and just in general for rice, it’s most often 1.5 part water to 1 part rice. Can you explain why this seems to be a lower ratio than normal?
Thanks
Hey Mark- I love to break rules and I find this ratio works for me. Feel free to follow the package directions on the rice. Best to you.
This was absolutely the best jambalaya I’ve ever eaten. And I have tried many. But this was the first time I ever tried to cook it. I never dreamed it could taste this great. Thank you
Tricia- Thanks for your delicious comment. I am pleased all went well with your first jambalaya. Hopefully, it won’t be your last. All the best.
If you were going to make this a day or two ahead, would you assemble it all but not bake it until ready to eat or cook it all the way through and then re-heat in a low oven the day of?
Thanks in advance, this is a great recipe!
Hey Robert- I suggest a third alternative: Make the base jambalaya (Steps 1 through 5), and stop short of adding the rice. Then you can wait to add the rice and bake. All the best.
Great idea! Thank you.
Delicious
Could you advise on the best way to hold the dish in either a holding cabinet or a Cambro? I need to prepare for 500 and will have to remove from the oven 1-2 hours before serving to transport to location. Thank you!
Steven-
I am not a caterer, so my answer will not be from experience. That said, jambalaya should be served hot and moist. To maintain moisture while holding, you must wrap your cooked jambalaya in pans or large foodservice containers tightly with plastic film wrap. If you can reheat just before serving, be sure to remove the plastic wrap. Best of luck.
I am making a pot of sausage and chicken Jambayala for 24 for my son and his buddies who are getting together for a friends golf tourament. They are requesting shrimp be added to the pot. I want to try out your oven method but I am uncertain about when the raw shrimp should be added. Can the shrimp be cooked in the oven too? Or, should I cook the shrimp separately and stir it in after the pot comes out of the oven? Thanks for your help…..and I love your Acadiana Table cookbook!
Hey Reda-
This is one of those times that it is not only okay to oven-cook the shrimp, but it is preferred. Here’s the deal: There’s lots of moisture in a well-made jambalaya so the shrimp will not dry out, plus there are layers of flavor that will infuse the shrimp during the long cooking time. Your jambalaya is gonna be a winner. All the best.