Recipe written and developed by Allo Gilinsky, the Craft Beer Concierge
Crack open a Post Shift Pilsner & let the good times roll!
Mardi Gras is a yearly celebration in late February where music, food, and revelry with friends combine. With deep New Orleans roots, Cajun & Creole food is at the center of Mardi Gras. This Post Shift Pilsner infused jambalaya is one big melting pot of flavors, enhanced by this crisp & floral beer. I also made some cheddar biscuits with pimento cheese spread as an accompaniment, which is an optional but delicious add-on.
Get that big band playlist blaring, crack a can open as you cook, and get ready to share this delicious, spicy jambalaya with friends & family as it makes a pot big enough to share.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Cloves garlic; chopped
1 Green bell pepper; seeded and diced
1 Whole white onion; diced
4 Stalks celery; washed and finely chopped
1 Package andouille sausage; sliced thinly
4-6 Skinless boneless chicken thighs cut up into bite-sized pieces
1 Pound medium shrimp, cleaned and tails off
3 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
8 oz chicken broth
16 oz Jacks Abby Post Shift Pilsner
2 Cups jasmine rice
Parsley or green onions for garnish
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a sturdy, deep pot over medium heat. Add diced vegetables, garlic, and andouille sausage, season with salt and pepper and saute together about 5-7 minutes with the lid covering the pot until the vegetables have softened.
- Add diced chicken thighs & shrimp to the pot with more salt and pepper, and stir together, letting cook another 10 minutes.
- Add your Post Shift Pilsner along with the chicken broth, then the canned tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. Stir together and let all come to a boil over medium-high heat. This is where the flavor really starts to develop and you’re also cooking the alcohol in the beer off.
- After the pot has come to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and let cook for an additional twenty minutes, letting all those flavors mingle with one another. Now is a great time to crack open a Post Shift Pilsner or other Jack’s Abby Lager of your choice (if you haven’t already), because let’s face it, waiting is hard.
- After the 20 minutes, you should see the jambalaya base turning a deep red to brown color & it’s time to add the rice and tomato paste. Add the rice to the pot slowly, about a half cup at a time while stirring to incorporate, then stir in the tomato paste and put your burner to its lowest setting, keeping the lid off while cooking.
- You’ll want to make sure this is mixed well and pay attention to stirring every few minutes, so the rice doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom of the pot. The rice will start absorbing the liquid. This final part of the process usually takes about 30-45 minutes total to let the rice soften enough.
- Serve up jambalaya in bowls and garnish with parsley or green onion as you like, and finally – dig in!
Allo Gilinsky is a lager lover, and Certified Cicerone®. Pairing beer with food is a passion of his, and he finds that cooking with beer is a great way to enhance a recipe. His love of lagers brought him to collaborate with Jack’s Abby on another blog post as a follow-up to his Copper Legend Mac and Cheese recipe. By day, Allo works for Craft Beer Initiative as their Marketing and Events Coordinator For fun, he curates a blog and social media presence under the Craft Beer Concierge handle exploring the world of craft beer through his own eyes.
