Jambalaya for 120

	MawMaw...HELP !!!!!!I have to cook jambalaya for 120 this weekend and I
	have no idea about amounts of rice or anything else for cooking for such a
	large crowd...Can you help?? You have my undying gratitude and my promise
	that everyone will know about this website...

	Thank you so much...

	Carla

	Transplanted Cajun living in Chicago

	Carla,
	It seems from your conversation your biggest concern is the water for the rice. 
	I will give you a pretty good approximate. Generally you cook 
	1/3 to 1/2 cup uncooked rice per person. If you use long grain rice, figure that 
	3 cups serves 8 people. Use 1 quart of water or beef broth seasoned water for every 3 cups. 
	
	I converted one of our recipes to your request for 120 servings and get the following. 
	
	4 oz meat serving each 30 pounds 
	6 oz meat serving each 45 pounds 
	30 medium onions 
	5 garlic cloves 
	7 cups of onion and parsley chopped fine Lea and Perrin sauce to taste 1/2 bottle 
	4 cups of oil for sautéing (Microwave would cut work here. Less oil, Less work) 
	4 gallons of water or beef broth flavored water 
	4 tbsp kitchen bouquet for color 
	5 large bell peppers 
	30 stalks celery 
	45 cups rice onion powder to taste garlic powder to taste salt and black and red pepper to taste 
	
	What I find is easier to do is to season my pork meat with garlic and onion powder, black and red pepper, 
	and your Tony's individually as you would if you were making a small batch.  You are more likely to hit 
	the seasonings more closely. 
	
	Add your onion tops (green onions) and parsley in the final 30 minutes of cooking. 
	
	I made contact this afternoon with one of my "hometown Cajuns" friends who gave me a name that I will 
	call in the next couple of days. He is a member of the volunteer fire department and they cook jambalaya 
	as a fund raiser every year. I will get his formula also and will let you know. Talk to you soon 
	MawMaw
	

	MawMaw,
	Thank you so much for your assistance in this matter. I was reluctant when initially approached, 
	but I have the spirit of my Cajun ancestors, as well as assistance from Cajun gastronome gurus such as 
	yourself to guide me...I was concerned with my ratios, simply because I've had dry jambalaya and it 
	wasn't a happy experience...again, I now know what to look for and am quite sure it will be a success.
	I'll let you know how it turns out...happy and safe traveling to you, MawMaw... 
	
	Respectfully, 
	Carla
	

	Hello,
	Mawmaw is on the road and asks me to write.
	 
	She spoke with a fireman who cooks Jambalaya often and here's what he had to say:
	 
	He is skeptical about cooking it in a crawfish pot and actually suggests that you use a #20 black pot.
	As for the ingredients.. the fireman uses a 50lb Boston butt pork meat. He allocates 1/2lb per 
	person. He uses 18 to 20lbs of rice and prefers extra long Mahatma because it makes the jambalaya fluffier. 
	If you cannot find extra long rice, use at least long rice.
	 
	Here's a quick way to measure the rice and water: Pour the rice into a 5gallon bucket. DO NOT pack it 
	but do level it with your hand.
	Mark the bucket and remove the rice. Now you will need 2 (water) to 1 (rice) so double the water to that mark.
	
	
	Now on to the actual cooking.
	 
	First, season your meat with Konriko seasoning and garlic powder. 
	Fry the meat in about 1 gallon of peanut oil first about 30lbs to the batch. 
	Take the meat out and put it on paper towels to absorb the grease.
	After you fry the meat, take out all the grease and leave just enough to sauté the following: 
	11 to 12 large onions
	3 bell peppers
	1 bundle of celery
	One jar of minced garlic. Get the next to smallest size jar of garlic.
	 
	sauté the above. 
	 
	3rd step, add ONLY water (NOT the rice). Bring to a boil. 
	Add meat and boil for 12 to 15 minutes. 
	At the same time you add the meat, add your  seasonings and the color. Seasonings are as follows:
	2 big cooking spoons of red pepper
	2 big spoons of garlic powder
	2 big spoons of Konriko seasonings
	 
	To find out how much salt you must put, do the following: Open the box of salt. You will notice that it
	isnt filled to the top. notice its only 3/4 filled. Put one half of the box in the jambalaya at this time.
	 
	Next, add 2 to 3 big cooking spoons of caramel color. if you dont have that,  you can use kitchen bouquet.
	 
	Stir or your meat will stick! stir all that time.
	 
	Now dump the dry rice and the parsley (1 cup) into the batch. stir well. 
	 
	Stir so that the bottom does not stick until most of the water is out and the top looks like a 
	thick gravy, turn your heat to low low low. 
	And add your cup of onion tops. Stir. Now cover.
	 
	Be aware that the secret to the jambalaya is the way the heat is applied.. almost more 
	important than anything else. The time you will heat your jambalya on this low low low heat will 
	depend on your fire. you must cook it slow. after you see the rice being cooked turn the heat off.
	 
	Wait 1 1/2 hour before serving and stir a few times after you take it off the fire.
	 
	FYI, it takes 3 gallons of black eyes if you want to serve 100 people.
	 
	Maw maw is on the road so if you have any questions, email me and I'll get in touch with her.
	
	Thanks,
	Chrissy

	MawMaw, it was a smashing success! Although i trashed my buddy's kitchen cooking up a storm, 
	it was well-appreciated and loved by all...we cooked a pork-rib and sausage jambalaya for 
	about 125 folks...i cooked everything on the stove, including the rice, in large pots...
	once we cgot the hang of cooking that much rice on the stove, it was all smooth-sailing...
	many thanks to you for your recipes and your concerns...i have sent the link to your website 
	to all my online friends, suggesting to them that if they ever need great Cajun recipes or 
	have questions about those recipes to contact MawMaw--she's in the know. 
	
	Thanks!
	Carla