Name: Low & Slow Smoked Creole Jambalaya
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 6–8
Cuisine: American BBQ
Ingredients: 1 lb Andouille sausage (sliced ½-inch thick — Aidells or Zatarain's if your grocer doesn't carry Cajun-brand); 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 2-inch pieces); 3 tbsp Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning (or Slap Ya Mama — split: 1 tbsp on chicken, 1 tbsp in the pot, 1 tbsp to taste at the end); 2 tbsp Neutral oil; 1 large Yellow onion (diced — start of the holy trinity); 2 ribs Celery (diced); 1 large Green bell pepper (diced — completes the trinity); 4 cloves Garlic (minced); 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced tomatoes (Hunt's or Muir Glen — DO NOT drain); 2 cups Long-grain white rice (Mahatma or Carolina — do NOT rinse, you want the starch); 3½ cups Chicken stock (Swanson or homemade — warm it before adding); 2 Bay leaves; 1 tsp Dried thyme; 1 tsp Smoked paprika; 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (dial up or down for heat); ½ tsp Black pepper; 1 lb Large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on or off — folded in at the end); 4 Scallions (sliced thin — finish); ¼ cup Fresh parsley (chopped — finish); 2 tbsp Crystal hot sauce (or Tabasco — finish, plus more on the side); 3 chunks Pecan wood chunks; 1 chunk Oak wood chunks (for color)

Low & Slow Smoked Creole Jambalaya

Smoked chicken, browned andouille, the holy trinity, and a Dutch oven on the smoker.

Pit Master

@pitmaster · The Pit Master

Done right, jambalaya is a slow build. The skillet-fries-everything 45-minute version misses the point — what you want is layered depth where each component leaves its fingerprint on the next. The chicken smokes first to lay down a flavor floor. The andouille browns in the Dutch oven and renders its fat to season the trinity. The trinity softens in that fat to make the spice base. The rice goes in last and drinks all of it, finishing covered on the smoker so every grain takes color from the andouille and tomato.

Creole over Cajun for this one — diced tomatoes in, dark roux out. That's the city style versus the country style. We're using a Dutch oven on the smoker so the smoke does its work before the lid goes on, and the slow simmer lets the rice cook gently without scorching the bottom.

Shrimp at the end is non-negotiable. They go in for 8–10 minutes, lid back on, and you pull the moment they curl into Cs. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery and ruin a pot. Trust the visual cue and don't set a timer past 10.

Method

Smoke the chicken

Toss the chicken pieces with 1 tbsp Creole seasoning until coated. Smoker to 250°F over pecan with a single oak chunk underneath. Lay the chicken directly on the grate and smoke 40–45 minutes until 165°F internal. Pull and set aside in a covered bowl — you're not finishing them here, they'll cook the rest of the way in the pot. The first smoke is purely for the flavor floor.

0.75h

Brown the andouille

Heat the oil in a heavy 5–7 qt cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high — on the stove is fine, or on the smoker grate if your fire is hot enough to render. Add the andouille slices in one layer and let them sit for 3–4 minutes before flipping. You want deep mahogany sear marks and rendered fat in the pot. Remove the andouille with a slotted spoon to a plate. Leave the fat behind. That fat is the pot's seasoning.

Build the trinity

Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper all at once. Stir occasionally for 6–8 minutes — you want them soft and translucent, NOT brown. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and 1 tbsp of the Creole seasoning. Stir for 60 seconds until you can smell the spices wake up. This is where the depth comes from; don't rush it.

1.25h

Layer the pot

Pour in the diced tomatoes with all their juice, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes. Add the warm chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a low simmer. Stir in the rice, then fold in the smoked chicken and browned andouille. Make sure the rice is submerged. Taste the liquid — it should taste slightly over-seasoned because the rice will absorb everything.

1.5h

Slow smoke the pot, lid on

Cover with the Dutch oven lid (or two layers of heavy foil sealed tight). Place on the smoker at 250°F. DO NOT OPEN IT for 60 minutes. The steam is doing the work — every time you lift the lid you reset the cook. The smoke can't get into the rice through the lid, but the residual smoke from steps 1 and 2 is already in the pot. After 60 minutes the rice should be tender and the liquid mostly absorbed.

2.5h

Finish with shrimp

Pull the pot off the smoker briefly, lift the lid. Fold the shrimp in on top of the rice — don't bury them, they need to steam through the top layer. Replace the lid and return to the smoker for 8–10 minutes. The shrimp are done the moment they're done — pink, curled into a C-shape, opaque all the way through. Overcooked shrimp ruin a jambalaya.

2.75h

Rest and dress

Pull the pot off the heat and let it rest 10 minutes with the lid still on — the rice keeps absorbing and the grains settle. Discard the bay leaves. Fold in the scallions, parsley, and 2 tbsp hot sauce. Taste, hit it with the last tablespoon of Creole seasoning and salt if it needs it. Serve in deep bowls with extra hot sauce on the side. Leftovers reheat well in a covered pan with a splash of stock.

Ingredients

Method

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