Immediately throw down whatever you have in your hands and go to the grocery store. You are going to want to make this. We have had this theory that the Big Green Egg would be a perfect heat source for a paella pan because the stove top is just too small to evenly apply heat. So couple the even heat with the delightful smokey flavor that the egg imparts and you have paella perfection.
Note that we have a second paella experiment on this site but this one is way better and we thought it would be good to just do a whole new post rather than try and update the old one. So here we go.
Found this recipe and followed it more or less. Check out this Martha Stewart Recipe
Ingredients:
4.5 cups of chicken broth
0.5 teaspoon of saffron (yes saffron)
1 teaspoon of paprika
0.5 teaspoon of olive oil
3 bone in chicken thighs
course salt and pepper
3 andouille sausages sliced
0.5 a medium onion
1 clove of garlic
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1.5 cups of a medium grain rice
clams (store didn't have mussels)
1 lb of shrimp
0.5 lbs of scallops
Execution:
We had guests for dinner and decided to make this in two parts. First part in a cast iron skillet on the stove and then the final paella cook on the egg.
First a little olive oil, salt and pepper and paprika on the chicken and brown in the skillet
In the mean time, slice up the onion and parsley
After browning, set the chicken aside, drain the oil
saute the onion and parsley and garlic
Then add the sausage and tomato
Put the other ingredients in the pan and cover. Ready to move to the paella pan and egg when the time is right
Prep the scallops and shrimp and have a little bourbon. After all, it's America.
Heat the egg to about 350 and put the plate setter in. I placed the cast iron grate on the plate setter just as a spacer to keep the paella pan off the direct heat of the plate setter.
Transfer to the paella pan that just barely fits in the egg thanks to the handles (had to bend them a little)
Add the rice evenly and pour in the stock to cover the rice
Cook about 20 minutes and let the rice absorb the stock. Then added more stock as needed to get the rice done. Careful to not finish soupy. You want the dish to dry out enough to form a crust on the pan
Add the seafood about 8 minutes before completion. You don't want the shrimp to cook too long. Shrimp is sensitive to temperature and is easily overcooked. We probably shouldn't have added any more stock at this step.
Then serve!
Like most things, Paella is way better on when cooked on the big green egg. Even heat and the nice smokey flavor coupled with the seafood is excellent. Serve with a great Albarino and enjoy with friends. Thanks Lee and Regina for joining us.
We would love it if you would drop us a note in the comment section and let us know how your cook went. We are always looking for suggestions and improvements! We have opened up the comments so that anyone can post now, so please do. I'll try not to delete anything unless it is spam or stabs me in the heart.
Please help support our site, buy something you like on Amazon. Simply click through the links below and though you can pick anything, I suggest the thermometer and knives below:
So apparently Thermoworks doesn't sell through Amazon anymore. You must buy direct. Still the thermometer to have. Go here and order direct.
Aaron Franklin's Favorite trimming knife:
Dexter-Russell (S131F-6PCP) - 6" Boning Knife - Sani-Safe Series
Aaron Franklin's Favorite Brisket cutting/serving knife:
Sani-Safe S140-12SC-PCP 12" Scalloped Roast Slicer