Buffalo Andouille and Shrimp Jambalaya

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Mmmmmm.... doesn't that look so good?  It's probably a cold day where most of you are today... at least it is here.  This is the perfect dish to make on a day like this.  It's a little time consuming, but it's not hard and the finished product is full of flavor, spicy (duh, I made it), and makes perfect leftovers for lunch the next day or even another dinner the next night.  The only thing I would do differently next time is stir in some green onions right at the end and garnish it with some fresh parsley.  I just didn't have either on hand at the time, so I just rolled with it.  I'll include those two additions in my recipe below.

The most unique thing about this recipe is that I used buffalo andouille sausage.  Yeah that's right, sausage made with buffalo meat.  My Virtual Potluck group partnered up with The Buffalo Guys and were provided the following to taste and play with in our kitchens:

• All Natural Buffalo Hot Dogs
• All Natural Gourmet Buffalo Andouille
• All Natural Gourmet Buffalo Polish
• All Natural Gourmet Buffalo Bratwurst

 

From the Buffalo Guys website:

In extreme North-West Kansas The Buffalo Guys, Ken Klemm and Peter Thieriot, own about 3300 acres of prime, native buffalo range.  Here, their herd of about 500 head grazes as they have for millennia.  Early explorer accounts of this land tell of herds so great that when they came to water they would drink the creek dry. So when they brought the buffalo back to this place it was a homecoming and a great day in "buffalo history."  

Peter and Ken - "The Buffalo Guys"

 I liked this part a lot:

We at The Buffalo Guys believe that actions have consequences. We believe that through thoughtful examination of the problems endemic to the American diet, to American agriculture and to the American environment we can act in such a manner as to reduce or eliminate these problems. Our production and business practices are designed to limit the negative and maximize the positive consequences to the environment, the buffalo population and to our consumers' health.

• We believe that animals should be treated with dignity.
• We believe the environment can be renewed through wise use.
• We believe that what we produce for others to eat should be equal in quality to what we, ourselves, choose to eat at home.
• We support the growth of "Organic and Sustainable" agricultural practices and feel that the American Buffalo fits this well.
• We believe that our employees and member ranchers should be fairly compensated for their efforts and in so doing be empowered to enjoy a full and fruitful life.

- Buffalo Guys sausages contain no fillers, MSG, nitrites or nitrates
- Buffalo are range-raised without antibiotics or growth hormones

...and check out the nutritional facts on buffalo meat.


Click here to watch a short video where you can hear the Buffalo Guys tell you about their buffalo meat and its health benefits. 

Want to try some buffalo sausage for yourself?  Here's how you can save some money:

Discount offer: 15% off any hot dog or sausage purchase 

through the end of March. The code is VIRTUALPOTLUCK

So far I've tried the Bratwurst and the Andouille.  Both were delicious and not greasy at all - just packed with flavor.  I plan to make some pigs in a blanket with the hot dogs sometime this week (because who doesn't like that??) and I'll do something with the Polish sausage soon.  Maybe a good ol' Cleveland Polish Boy?  I'm certain it will be delicious.

See how I made my Buffalo Andouille and Shrimp Jambalaya after the jump!





Start by chopping up a whole package of Buffalo Guys andouille sausage and brown it up in a couple tablespoons of light olive oil.  The sausage is already fully cooked, so you're just getting some color on it to help build your layers of flavor.

Once browned, remove the andouille from the pot (I used my dutch oven and it was perfect for this recipe) and set aside to add back in later.  Add another tablespoon of light olive oil if needed, then add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and saute for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender.  




Next add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to combine.




Next, return the andouille sausage back to the pot and pour in the chicken stock.




Then add a can of diced tomatoes, a bay leaf, Emeril's Essence, the dried thyme, the hot sauce, the crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste.  Before adding the salt, taste the mixture to determine how much you want to add and just add a little at a time.  It will get most of it's salt from the sausage, but you will need a little more.




Stir and bring everything up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. 




Simmer on the lowest heat setting for 30 minutes.  This will give you just enough time to get your shrimp cleaned and cooked.  Peel and devein 15-20 shrimp (however many you'd like).  Place them on a paper towel lined plate to remove the moisture and season them with Emeril's Essence seasoning mix.  I found seasoning them on just one side was enough.  That way you taste the seasoning, but also the great natural taste of the shrimp, too. 

Heat about a tablespoon of light olive oil in a small saute pan and add the shrimp in batches, cooking them seasoning side down first. Cook for about a minute on one side to create a delicious crust, then flip them over to finish on the other side. Remove them from the pan and cook the rest the same way. I decided to do the shrimp separately like this so I could get that texture seared onto the shrimp and I thought it would be more flavorful this way.

By this time, it should be time to add the rice to the pot. Stir, cover, then simmer on low for another 20 minutes.





It will look like this when it's done.  The rice will soak up all the liquid and it will be just a big pot of spicy, tomato-y, sausage rice goodness.  Ahhhhh yeah...





Fluff it up with a big spoon and stir it all up.  At this time, you would add the chopped green onions and stir them in if you decide to use them.




Then, place your cooked shrimp all over the top of the jambalaya (your heat should still be on low), and put the cover back on the pot to keep everything warm and to heat the shrimp back up. 




When you serve it, just place some in a big bowl, hit it with some more hot sauce if you like it spicy, then top it with a dollop of sour cream and if you have fresh parsley, here is when you would add that for garnish.  The sour cream is so good with this.  It cools the spiciness a bit and adds a layer of richness and comfort to the dish.  It's just so good - you have to make it. 




I hope you enjoyed this recipe and if you end up making it, send me an email and let me know! If you send me a picture, I'll add it to this post! I'll do that with any recipe on this site, by the way, so send me your pics! I love seeing how everyone's food turns out.

Also be sure to check out The Buffalo Guys on Facebook

Want to see more amazing recipes made using Buffalo Guys sausages?  Check out our host blog for this event, Diabetic Foodie, to see the round-up of all the other Virtual Potluck offerings!