Ring in the new year in style with Paella on the Grill! Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers Adjustable Charcoal Grill for this Spanish classic!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Blooming the saffron in warm stock rather than adding the threads directly to the pan extracts more color and flavor before the liquid ever touches the rice
- Cooking the tomatoes and wine down until nearly dry before adding the rice concentrates that flavor into the base, rather than letting the rice absorb a still-liquid sauce
- Pouring the hot stock evenly around the pan instead of stirring it in lets the rice settle and cook undisturbed, which is what allows the prized crust to form on the bottom
- Nestling the shellfish into the rice only in the final stage times each protein to finish exactly when it's ready, rather than overcooking delicate shrimp and mussels by adding them too early
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Spanish
Servings
6
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Calories
1060
Experience the flavor of Spain with Chef Tom's recipe for Paella on the Grill! Learn to make authentic Paella with a charcoal grill for an unforgettable outdoor feast.
Ingredients
-
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups yellow onions, small dice
- 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, sliced
- 1 cup Spanish chorizo, small dice
-
1 tbsp Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Flaked Finishing Salt
- 1 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
-
1/2 (28 oz) can Ciao San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups bomba or arborio rice
- 1 1/2 cups green beans, cut 1” long
- 1 1/2 cups sweet peppers, sliced
- 1 cup green peas
- 6 cups chicken stock
- pinch saffron threads
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on or off
- 8 oz mussels, rinsed
- 8 oz little neck clams
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
- Combine the saffron and vegetable stock in a pot. Bring to a simmer, then keep warm.
- Preheat your grill for medium-high heat (400ºF) direct grilling. Place a Lodge 15” Carbon Steel Skillet (or paella pan) on the grill to preheat.
When the skillet is hot, add the extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, chicken, chorizo, paprika and Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Flaked Finishing Salt. Sweat onions until translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Add the green beans, peppers and garlic. Cook one more minute.
- Add the tomatoes and wine. Cook until liquid is nearly all cooked out, about 15 minutes.
- Add the rice, distributing evenly. Pour the hot stock evenly all around the pan. Cook approximately 15 minutes, until the rice is softened.
- Nestle the mussels into the rice and place the shrimp on the surface. Cook another 10-15 minutes until the mussels and clams open and the shrimp becomes opaque. The rice should have absorbed all of the liquid.*
- Serve paella with parsley and lemon wedges.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why bloom the saffron in warm stock instead of adding the threads directly to the rice?
Letting the saffron sit in warm liquid extracts more of its color and flavor before that stock ever reaches the pan, rather than adding dry threads directly to the rice and hoping they release evenly.
Why cook the tomatoes and wine down until the liquid is nearly gone before adding the rice?
Reducing that mixture concentrates its flavor into the base the rice will cook in, rather than adding rice to a still-liquid sauce that hasn't finished developing.
Why pour the hot stock evenly around the pan instead of stirring the rice as it cooks?
Leaving the rice mostly undisturbed lets it settle against the bottom of the pan, which is what allows the caramelized crust — the socarrat — to form. Stirring constantly, the way you would with risotto, would prevent that crust from developing.
Why add the shrimp, mussels, and clams only in the final stage instead of earlier in the cook?
Nestling them in during the last 10-15 minutes times each one to finish right as the rice absorbs its last liquid. Adding them earlier would overcook the delicate shellfish and shrimp long before the rice is ready.
What internal temperature should the chicken actually reach?
This recipe cooks the sliced thighs in with the onions and chorizo for an extended time, but no specific temperature check is called out. Ground and sliced poultry needs to reach 165°F throughout — confirm with a thermometer rather than relying on the overall cook time alone.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 — a large skillet or dedicated paella pan on the stovetop can replicate this entirely; the grill mainly adds a touch of smoke flavor and the option to work over a larger heat source.
Recipe Highlights
Bloomed saffron stock: Extracts more flavor before it reaches the rice.
Reduced tomato-wine base: Concentrates flavor before the rice is added.
Undisturbed rice cooking: Allows the signature socarrat crust to form.
Staged shellfish addition: Times each protein to finish exactly on cue.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 20.48 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1060
- Carbs
- 140 grams
- Protein
- 73 grams
- Fat
- 20 grams
- Sodium
- 3471 milligrams
