Cooking Paella on the Grill
In cooking there are a handful of classic, iconic dishes and without a doubt paella is one of them. Paella has a history spanning all the way back to the mid-19th century. Originating on the east coast of Spain in Valencia, paella is a deeply rooted cultural dish that many Spanish people hold close to their hearts. Traditionally paella was cooked over a blazing wood fire, which makes it a perfect dish to cook on the grill.
For those who don’t know, paella starts with something called “sofrito” – a mixture of tomato and garlic sautéed in cooking oil. There are many variations on paella today, but the list of possible ingredients includes chicken, rabbit, shrimp, squid, and several varieties of beans. Some chefs insist on traditional style paellas, while others have shaped their recipes to reflect a more modern take on the dish. Either way, paella is a dish that should be on everyone’s culinary bucket list.
The Paella Pan
One of the staples in cooking paella is the pan it’s cooked in. This pan is so important the dish was actually named after it. Paella pans are typically sturdy bottomed and fairly shallow, with just enough height to hold the liquids used to simmer the rice, meat and vegetables. After realizing paella’s potential for the grill, we designed a sturdy paella pan for our Latin product line. This pan can also be used to cook other items like stir fry or risotto. I’ve even used them to roast chicken and vegetables.
Technique for Cooking Paella
How paella is cooked can vary based on its ingredients. Paellas made with large bone in cuts of meat like chicken drumsticks or thighs begin by searing the meat. Since the chicken will take the most time to cook, it’s added first in this case. Next seasonings and vegetables are added. Braising liquid (water or stock) is added and the rice is then stirred in. Once all ingredients have been added the entire pan is left alone to simmer over low heat until the rice and meat have cooked. With recipes that call for diced boneless meat the proteins are added later in the cooking process so that they don’t overcook.
It’s also important to note that paella is cooked with a specific type of rice called “bomba” rice. This rice can be easily found online through Amazon or at your local Whole Foods market. If you can’t find bomba don’t fret, just substitute with some medium grain white rice or Arborio (risotto rice). Once the dish is fully cooked, a final blast of high heat is used to toast the rice at the bottom of the pan to create something called “Socarrat”.
The first time you cook paella, it’s best to follow a recipe to get the hang of things. To start you off, I’ve created a tasty chicken paella with chorizo and shrimp.
Chicken Chorizo Paella with Shrimp*
Ingredients
- ½ C. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs. chicken drumsticks
- ¾ lbs. Spanish chorizo, sliced
- 2 small bell peppers, small dice
- 1 small yellow onion, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ C. parsley, chopped
- ½ can fire roasted tomatoes (8 oz.)
- 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 C. rice
- 2 C. water
- 3 C. chicken stock
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/2 lb. large prawns (Optional)**
Instructions
- Add olive oil and preheat paella pan over high heat 2-3 minutes.
- Place drumsticks into hot oil and sear thoroughly on all sides approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Add onion, bell peppers, and sauté until vegetables are soft.
- Add parsley and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add water, chicken stock, paprika, roasted tomatoes, saffron and rice then stir thoroughly to combine.
- Bring mixture back to a rapid simmer, add chicken and reduce to a gentle simmer over one burner on low flame.
- Cook uncovered 25-35 minutes (adding shrimp to the pan halfway through) until rice absorbs liquid and chicken is cooked.
- Finish with high flame for 60-90 seconds to crisp the rice on the bottom of the pan.
- Rest paella 2-3 minutes before serving.
