Big Green Egg Recipe Contest Winner: Rhonda Porter’s Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers

Picking the winner for our Big Green Egg recipe contest was tough, because all the recipes sounded so delicious. We particularly loved Rhonda Porter’s submission because her recipe for Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers uses the Big Green Egg multiple ways: smoking, grilling, and baking.

Rhonda, a mortgage originator from West Seattle, wins a copy of the new Big Green Egg Cookbook. Turns out Rhonda’s blog has an entire category devoted to Big Green Egg recipes!

Here is Rhonda’s stream-of-consciousness recipe (written as she was making the dish for the first time). We’ve included a bonus: links to other Big Green Egg recipes submitted to the contest.

Be sure to follow Rich’s for the Home on Facebook, where we’ll regularly offer contests and promotions just for our Facebook fans. And, of course, you can purchase your own Big Green Egg Cookbook at any of Rich's five Puget Sound Locations: Lynnwood, Bellevue, Southcenter, Tacoma, and Silverdale.

Rhonda Porter's Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers on the Big Green Egg

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 cut white rice
3 andouille “hot link” sausages
4 chicken thighs
tasso ham((a spicy, peppery version of smoked pork)
evoo (extra-virgin olive oil)
Emerill's Essence seasoning
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper
1-2 stalks celery, sliced
Garlic to taste, minced
2 cans Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Oregano, to taste
Thyme, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

I've always wanted to try this... stuff a bell pepper full of leftover Jambalaya... why not smoke it on the Big Green Egg and go all the way!

This is an experiment...I'm writing the post as I'm making dinner. Not everyone in my house is a fan of stuffed peppers so I'm making jambalaya for them and stuffing peppers with the extra.

Metropolitan Market has had red and yellow bell peppers on sale so I have 2 of each that I'm getting ready to blanch for 5 minutes.

I'm steaming one cup of white rice which I'm going to blend in some of my meat/veggie base just so that we can all eat together (the remainder of the jambalaya will have the rice cook in it while my stuffed peppers are smoking away on the Big Green Egg)... at least this is the plan!

I'm going to sauté 3 andouille sausages with some diced tasso ham with evoo in a deep pan while I cook 4 chicken thighs outside on the Big Green Egg. Nothing fancy, they've just had some Emerill's Essence seasoning sprinkled on them. The Big Green Egg will ideally be at 350 degrees.

The sausage and ham are cooked just long enough to lightly brown and release some juices to sauté the vegetables in.

Remove the meats and add one diced onion, one diced bell pepper (green would have been pretty, I had red) and one (or two) stalks celery, sliced.

After the vegetables are soft, add minced garlic and two cans of Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes. Add one bay leaf, some oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked rice (to your liking).

I decided to add about a tablespoon of tomato paste to about 1-1.5 cups of the jambalaya mixture (the remaining I'm adding uncooked rice to for my non-pepper peeps and finishing like regular jambalaya).

Ideally I would assemble the peppers and place them in a disposable aluminum pan but I seem to be out! Instead, I doubled up 2 sheets of foil and lined my rib rack to create a "boat" for the stuffed peppers.

The stuffed peppers baked at 350-400 degrees for about a half hour and came out delicious. I think next time I'll add some soaked wood chips to go for a smokier flavor and use leftover jambalaya just to save time.

Check out these additional BGE recipe contest entries on Rich's Facebook Discussion Group:

1. Mike’s Awesome Smoked Salmon from Mike Stallings
2. Tequila Lime Shrimp and Scallops from Nathan Lissant
3. Orange and Soy Marinated Salmon from Lori Lowe
4. Honey Pear Habanero Hot Wings from Nathan Lissant
5. Teriyaki Pork Loin from  Nathan Lissant

Comments

[Rhonda Porter]

I'm so honored! I can't wait to check out the cook book. Thank you!