You like soccer You like food. We also! So much so that we knock the two together to bring you a Buffalo Bill-inspired recipe every week. Whether it’s a version of an opponent’s favorite or a really mad scientist walking towards you, Wingin ‘It is the place to see. This week we are preparing for the New Orleans Saints that have already passed, but still let them inspire us!
It’s our first POST game Wingin ‘It! I could have gone the way I last went when the Bills played a classic side on Thanksgiving and Buffalo or something. But that’s a lot to ask in order to break tradition. Instead, let’s go the “We are all tired and want to throw something together” path. Jambalaya is perfect, and a way to use some of your Thanksgiving leftovers in a way that even the “sick of the turkey” will enjoy. Many of the ingredients are vague as they are items that you may have different amounts of leftover. Just use what feels right and you’ll be fine. There might be a few things you want to go out and snap, but it should be fine for many here (see prep tips and tips).
Turkey sausage jambalaya with buffalo sauce
Servings: 6-10
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 6 hours or so
ingredients
28 ounce can of shredded tomatoes
3 cups turkey broth
12 ounces. Sausage (preferably andouille or smoked)
Remaining turkey
onion
celery
Paprika (n)
1 teaspoon of garlic
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
Salt to taste
Oregano, thyme, paprika to taste
2 cups of uncooked rice
leftover sauce
2 tbsp hot sauce per cup of sauce
1/4 teaspoon thyme per cup of sauce
You need: slow cooker
- Add to Tomatoes and broth to slow cooker; turn to HIGH.
- Cut the sausage into slices / pieces and place in the slow cooker; Add the turkey.
- Chop Onion, celery, and peppers (quick, this should be easy); put in the stove.
- Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning to the saucepan; A stir. Let simmer for about 4 hours.
- Add salt and spices to match the taste. (Shoot for a little more flavor intensity than the end product is supposed to have for the rice.)
- Stir in rice; stir and check every 15-20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Turn to the lowest setting to stay warm.
- Put the sauce, hot sauce and thyme in the sauce pan on MED / HIGH; mix and heat until warm.
- Serve the jambalaya with sauce
Wingin ‘It Tips and Prep Gallery
Not a helpful gallery this week as I think you won’t need it and I wanted a simplified cooking experience too. I’ll list some substitutes for things you might not have after a Thanksgiving meal, as well as a quick rundown of how to make homemade gravy. The sauce might be a little late for many of you since you need the turkey roast, but if you have some extra broth, you’re good to go.
Substitutions:
- Unless you have shredded canned tomatoes, pretty much any tomato product should work (diced, steamed, mashed, etc.). You can also just add a few tomatoes.
- I knew I was making jambalaya so I bought andouille sausage. Most sausages will work, but smoked is better. Kielbasa is a good substitute. Jambalaya can mix and match proteins too, so be free to be creative.
- If you don’t have cajun seasoning, you can use things you might have on hand instead. Onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper or hot sauce can be substituted. Thyme, oregano, and paprika will likely need to be added in larger quantities as well.
- If you don’t have turkey broth, you can use a different variety. You could even get away with thinner soups if you have them. If you don’t have any of the above, water should work to cook the rice, but you may need to season it or add more salt to make up for that.
Making sauce:
If you’ve never done it before, it’s super easy and makes that kinky stuff look like the conditioner it is. If your turkey recipe calls for a small amount of water at the bottom of the skillet, just collect the drops (all of the liquid at the bottom and probably some rendered fat). If you’ve used a recipe without water (or deep-fried), you may be out of luck. You can use broth for this too if you’d like.
Heat the roast fat in a sauce pan to MED / HIGH. Good sauce requires tasting, so for all of the ingredients you add, do a little, stir in, try, repeat. You should add salt, pepper, and any other herbs / spices you want for a particular food. For the spicy Wingin ‘It sauce, it was hot sauce and thyme.
Once you’ve set your flavor, it’s time to thicken it. Put 3-4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a small bowl. Put about 5 tablespoons of the roast fat in the bowl and stir in the flour until smooth. Small lumps are fine. Stir about half of this mixture into the gravy. Check the thickness of what is going to be sauce now. Gradually add a little more of the flour mixture until you reach the thickness you want. If you use all of the flour mixture, you can repeat the above steps and make more. Homemade sauce can be refrigerated, but is likely to turn gelatinous as it cools. Don’t worry, it will turn into sauce again when heated. And yes, I know jambalaya isn’t usually served with sauce, but you probably have some leftover and it’s a great way to add some extra flavor.
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