Cajun Recipes

Jimbeaux82

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Jan 6, 2011
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Guys,

here are a few of my authentic 24 karat Cajun recipes that you might like to try, mainly game and seafood.

If you try them, let me know if you like them.

Cajun Deep Fried Shrimp

Ingredients Needed:
(recipe for 6-8 people)

5 lbs of headed shrimp, size 20-25 count best
(For larger or smaller groups, +/- ½ lb of shrimp per person is needed)
1 jar mustard or Italian Salad Dressing
2 lbs flour
cayanne pepper
black pepper
white pepper
garlic powder (Important – garlic powder – not granulated garlic)
salt
cooking oil
Tabasco

Prepare shrimp:
1) peel and butterfly the shrimp
2) put shrimp in large pan to allow for mixing shrimp and ingredients without spilling
3) add 1 jar mustard or Italian Salad Dressing
4) add 4 tablespoons each of black, cayanne, white pepper, Tabasco sauce and garlic powder to shrimp (more or less may be added, adjust to taste)
5) mix thoroughly so that shrimp are well coated with mixture.

Prepare flour:
1) pour flour into pan
2) add 4 tablespoons each of black, white, cayanne pepper and garlic powder to flour.
3) Add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to flour.
4) Mix flour and ingredients thoroughly. (more or less of all spices may be added, adjust to taste)

Cooking:
1) preheat oil to 325 deg F. (best to use a thermometer for precise temp control).
2) Coat shrimp with flour, shake off excess flour.
3) Drop in grease and fry until shrimp floats. ( usually 2-3 minutes)
4) Remove from grease and place on paper towels.
5) Serve while hot and Enjoy !!!

Keys to perfect shrimp:
1) temp control is very important, stay between 300 and 325 for best results.
2) Do not overcook shrimp, remove immediately when they float.
3) Do not try to overpower the flavor of shrimp with spices. Shrimp have a unique and delicate flavor which should be complemented, not overpowered, by spices. Experiment gradually until you find the amount you prefer.
4) Never ever put cornmeal on shrimp – always use flour.
5) Always use garlic powder, not granulated garlic, for best flavor.


C’est Magnifique , Das fo’ sure !!!!



Venison Teriyaki

Ingredients needed:
(recipe for 4-6 people)

2 lbs venison backstrap or hind quarter
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce
1 bottle red wine
3-4 large onions
1 lb fresh mushrooms
4-5 cups white rice
1 lb butter
Pam non-stick cooking spray

Prepare Meat:
1) trim meat of all tendons, “silver side”, etc
2) cut into ½” cubes
3) marinate for 24-48 hrs in Teriyaki in refrigerator. Use zip lock bag or Tupperware container. Use entire bottle of Teriyaki.

Prepare Gravy:
1) melt 1 lb butter in cast iron pot.
2) Peel and chop onions. Slice mushrooms.
3) Add to pot with melted butter and sautee until soft.
4) Add ½ to ¾ bottle of red wine.
5) Cook down on low-med heat until gravy is desired thickness (approx 1 ½ -2 hours, the thicker the better)

Cook Meat:
1) use cast iron skillet.
2) Spray skillet with Pam.
3) Heat using med-high heat.
4) Braise cubed meat quickly on all 4 sides. Place in separate bowl until all meat is ready. (Do not overcook venison)
5) Add meat to pot with gravy and bring to a boil. Boil for no longer than 1 minute.
6) Remove from heat and serve over cooked rice.

Try not to hurt your self, Mon Cher !!!


Cajun Duck Sauce Piquante

Ingredients needed:
(recipe for 4-6 people)

2-3 med-large ducks
2 large onions
2 bell peppers
2 cans chopped rotelle tomatoes with jalipaneos
cooking oil
salt
black pepper
cayanne pepper
4 cups white rice

1) cut ducks into manageable pieces
2) brown ducks thoroughly in cast iron pot. Remove and place in separate bowl.
3) Chop onions and bell peppers as desired.
4) Brown onions and bell peppers thoroughly in cast iron pot.
5) Add browned duck pieces to cast iron pot.
6) Add salt and pepper as desired.
7) Add 2 cans rotelle tomatoes. Add water to cover meat.
8) Bring to boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes.
9) Reduce heat and cook on low-med heat until ducks are tender and gravy is desired thickness (2 – 2 ½ hours).
10) Serve over cooked rice.


This recipe also is excellent using venison, squirrels, rabbit or any combination of the 4.

Leissez Les Bon Temps Roulette !!!!



Cajun Pot Roasted Mushroom Teals

Ingredients needed:
(recipe for 4-6 people)

4 –6 whole teals (1 per person - plucked and dressed with skin left on)
2 cans brown gravy with mushrooms
2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
salt
black pepper
cooking oil
4 cups white rice


1) peel garlic. Cut into 1/8 inch pieces.
2) Make small incision in each side of teal breast.
3) Insert 1 piece of garlic in each incision.
4) Thoroughly brown whole teals in cast iron pot.
5) Remove from pot.
6) Peel and chop onions.
7) Brown thoroughly in cast iron pot.
8) Add previously browned teals to cast iron pot
9) Add 2 cans brown gravy with mushrooms.
10) Add water to cover teals. Salt and pepper to taste
11) Cook on low-med heat until tender ( approx 1 ½ -2 hours)
12) Serve over cooked rice.


C’est Si Bon , I Garrontee !!!!!!!



WHOLE Cajun FRIED TURKEY

Ingredients needed

1 – 12 to 15 lb Turkey (domestic or wild)
3 ½ gals peanut oil (assuming you use a 5 gal frying pot)
Injector Needle
Cajun Injector Sauce or Louisiana Hot Sauce (not Tabasco – too hot)


Inject turkey with sauce liberally in breast, wings, legs, etc. (use whole bottle).
Let marinade over night in refrigerator.
Preheat oil to 375 deg F.
Slowly lower Turkey in oil.
Increase fire and attempt to keep oil above 350 deg F.
Fry Turkey for 3 ½ mins per pound ( i.e. 15 lb Turkey – 53 minutes)
Take out and let drain and cool for 5 mins

Carve up and enjoy !!!!

Hint – get 3 ft of string. Tie one end of string to both legs of turkey. Tie other end of string to a 2 ft board or strong stick. Use this to lower turkey into oil to prevent getting burned by popping oil. When turkey is immersed in oil, roll up string around board or stick and lay across top of pot (string still attached to legs) Use string to pull turkey from oil when cooked.


Cajun Venison Chili

Ingredients needed
(recipe for 30-40 people)

20 lbs ground Venison
1 – X - large can tomato sauce
3 – large onions
2 – large bell peppers
3 – stalks celery
2 ¼ cups chili powder
Beer
Tabasco
Salt

Clean and chop all vegetables. Brown ground venison in cast iron skillet and drain away grease. Add chopped vegetables, tomato sauce, chili powder, and 2 cans beer. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed. Cook on low fire for 3-4 hours. Add as little liquid as possible to obtain consistency desired. Use only beer if liquid is needed. Add salt and Tabasco to taste

Optional : if a hotter chili is desired, add finely chopped jalapenos peppers about 15 mins before chili is taken off to serve.

Boudreaux and Thibodeaux sho’ neuf like dis one!!!!


Cajun Boiled Shrimp or Crawfish


Plan on approx 3lbs of whole shrimp per person if this is your main course, 5 lbs whole crawfish per person.
Typically, 18-20 count shrimp (18-20 shrimp per pound) are your best value money wise as well as taste wise

Needed:
Zatarains Crab Boil, box (seasoning bags) and liquid concentrate
Salt
Shrimp
Smoked sausage (if desired)
Potatoes, whole corn, onions, lemons
Boiling pot with basket
Burner

This is best done outside on a dedicated burner but can be done inside on a stove if you are careful and are only cooking small quantities

Quantities for boiling 20# of whole shrimp

Buy 20# of whole shrimp, dehead and wash carefully

Fill boiling pot approx half full and apply high heat to bring water to boil
Add 3-4 boxes of Zatarains plus one bottle of liquid Zatarains
Add potatoes, corn, onions, and sausage if desired
Add salt to taste
Bring to a rolling boil and continue boiling until potatoes done
Remove vegetables and sausage from pot
Leave Zatarains seasoning bags in water

Bring water to boil again
Cut lemons in quarters and dump in water
Put shrimp in boiling water and keep in only 2 minutes
Remove shrimp immediately, spread on table to cool

Note – it is very important not to overcook shrimp or they will be difficult to peel. 2 minutes is the correct time – trust me.

Note – if you like more spicy food, add 3 more Zatarains seasoning packs or add Cayanne pepper to water. You can also sprinkle Tony´s Creole Seasoning on outside of shrimp or crawfish after boiling (while still hot) to add spicey flavor. Experiment a little at a time until you find the combo you like then write it down in your own personal recipe.

Note – Crawfish may be cooked with the same recipe, except boil whole crawfish 8 minutes, remove pot from fire and allow crawfish to soak in water for 10 mins more to soak up seasoning. Figure on 5 lbs of crawfish per person.


Famous Cajun Rice Dressing

This is Cajun Rice Dressing (less the giblets), but it must be served very fresh for best results don't mix it all together until an hour or so before serving.

Pork and stock:
10 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder
5 onion, cut into 8 pieces
5 ribs celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
Stems from one bunch parsley
4 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1 lb. slices bacon
5 medium yellow onions, chopped
5 bunches green onions, chopped
5 tablespoon garlic, finely minced

10 cups raw long grain rice
12 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
8 tablespoons salt
5 tablespoon cayenne pepper
5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons white pepper

Place the pork and the rest of the stock ingredients in a saucepan.
Cover with water (at least 8 quarts), then bring to a boil. Reduce
heat, skim and simmer until tender, about 1 hour, skimming as
necessary. Remove the meat, discard the vegetables to add in later
and strain the stock. Continue to boil the stock until it's reduced
to about 6 quarts. Remove enough of the stock to have enough liquid
to make rice, and cook the rice in the pork stock "you can use the
microwave cooker". Reserve the leftover pork stock, at least 1/2
gallon.

Note: Grind the pork and vegetable mixture through a meat grinder
with a coarse disc, or grind it coarse in a food processor.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix in the green onions
bottoms, parsley, salt, peppers and cooked rice. Adjust seasonings.
If it seems too dry, add a little bit more pork stock. It should be
moist, but not runny.

You can use some of the "beef gravy starter" to help give it some
color , add it to you stock while cooking a little at a time !!!

Cook the bacon until crisp and grind , add the onions, green onion
bottoms and garlic to the drippings and sauté for a few minutes
until the onions are translucent. Add about 2 cups of pork stock to
the pan, and cook for 10 more minutes, until much of the pork stock
is reduced. Then start to mix in all the ingredients until you get
the right consistency , season to taste ! MMMMMMM GOOOOD!


World Famous REDFISH on the HALFSHELL

6-10 Fillets with skin and scales intact
Pat dry and apply a few drops of Tabasco to meat

In saucepan, melt ½ stick butter
2 cups Italian dressing
1 cup Thousand Island dressing
1 8oz. Bottle of Tiger Sauce
1 tbls. Tony Cacheries
1 tbls. Garlic powder
3 tbls. Lemon juice

Have grill hot and place halfshells on Pam-ed(cooking spray) grill skin side down. Sprinkle generously with Italian bread crumbs. Spoon on the mixture of the sauce or use a large turkey baster. Cook with lid closed for about 6-8 minutes or until a fork inserted in the thickest part of the fish can twist the meat apart. Do not overcook. Serve with skin and scales still attached and just eat off of the skin.


Dis is absitively and posiloutly de bess you will ever eat!!

:grin:
 
Jimbeaux82,

Good stuff here. Man, it has been years since I consumed Cajun cooking down in Atchafalaya country. I do keep a Cajun First Aid Kit handy, however. It is made with:

10 oz salt
10 oz basil leaves
10 oz oregano
20 oz Spanish paprika
13 oz onion powder
13 oz garlic powder
3 oz cayenne pepper
3 oz white pepper

It will kick it up a notch when things are otherwise bland.
 
DR Mike,

I am impressed. You spelled Atchafalaya correctly so you actually have been there!! Ha ha

Of the recipes I posted, be sure and try the Venison Teriyaki. Never met anyone yet who did not like it.

Jimbeaux
 
I had family living in Morgan City. When I left Einstein College of Medicine, heading for Texas, I spent a month there fishing, crabbing and shrimping. In later years, I conducted a series of evangelistic meetings in that area. This permitted me to test a number of Cajun recipes. One of the most memorable, though I failed to actually obtain the recipe, was pork chops stuffed with gar. Hoo, boy, that was some fine eating, I tell you.
 
I dont have a pork chops stuffed with gar recipe, but I do have a Garfish ball stew recipe. I would imagine that you can prepare the garfish stuffing just like the garfish balls and it would turn out great.

Everybody says that Cajuns are crazy cause they eat anything. I say Cajuns know how to make anything taste good!!


Garfish Ball Stew

GARFISH BALLS
(For Four)


*Filet fish and season with S/P, onion/garlic powder, (2) lbs. fish
*Finely chop (1) yellow onion, (1/2) bell pepper and (1/4) cup chopped onion tops
*Grind fish together with onion, bell pepper and onion tops

*Sauce
Sauté (2) peeled/chopped pods of garlic, (2) yellow onions and (1) bell pepper in margarine
Add S/P, Worcestshire and (8) oz. petit diced tomatoes, (4) oz. tomato sauce, (2) oz. roux, simmer
(+/- 1) hour

Fish Balls
Flour fish balls, brown in olive oil and add to sauce simmering with (8) oz. sliced fresh mushrooms,
(1/2) lb. small shrimp for (45 to 60) minutes, adding fish stock as needed, add green onion tops

Serve over rice
Butter Beans
Salad
 
We don't have gar in northern BC, but this might just work with pike. Many thanks.
 
Im sure it would work with Walleye as well. Will work with any white meat fish. Garfish is plum ugly on the outside, but the meat is nice, white and firm on the inside´.

Good luck and let me know how it turns out!!
 
Jimbeaux82

Welcome to the forum, glad you are here.

Those are some awesome recipies, thanks for posting these for us!

JD338
 
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