Jose Suro
TVWBB All-Star
Hi All,
I finally used my Paella pan and last evening made my first Performer Paella Valenciana. I learned a lot! First, my deck is not level, all of it slopes away from the pool. This is an issue especially when frying the meats in the oil - one side of the pan will dry out. I ended up adding too much oil. Still delicious though.
I used a full bed of coals and boy it needs it. This thing likes FIRE! Coals were all used up by the time it was done. Beautiful "socarrat" and outstanding taste. The trick is to get everything in the pan, except the rice and let the water reduce. This creates the delicious broth that gives the rice its great flavor. The problem is that then you don't know how much water is in the pan to cook the rice. I learned how to solve this in a video. You put the exact amount of water for the rice in the paella then stand a slotted spoon in the middle and mark the slot on the spoon where the water level is. Then reduce for about 15 minutes, stick the spoon in again and add water to the original spot in the spoon
.
This reducing time also allows the coals to die down a bit before adding the rice - a good thing. I then added the rice, a nice chunk of apple wood and closed the lid for fifteen minutes, then uncovered until it was finished.
On to the pics. I ran out of light and had to use flash (bounced) for a couple of the shots because I still haven't bought my clamp on lights
. My apologies!
The ingredients before prepping. The wine went in the Cook (me), not in the paella
. A wonderful and inexpensive Chilean wine with a 92 point rating....
The meats go in until they are nice and browned.
Peas, peppers, onion and Sazon join the party over the fire.
Everyone in the pool
.
And the finished product. My wife kept sticking a spoon in the pan and eating the thing "Spaniard style" so I had to cut the photo thing short and couldn't take the "definitive" shot
.
Thanks for looking!
Best,
Jose
I finally used my Paella pan and last evening made my first Performer Paella Valenciana. I learned a lot! First, my deck is not level, all of it slopes away from the pool. This is an issue especially when frying the meats in the oil - one side of the pan will dry out. I ended up adding too much oil. Still delicious though.
I used a full bed of coals and boy it needs it. This thing likes FIRE! Coals were all used up by the time it was done. Beautiful "socarrat" and outstanding taste. The trick is to get everything in the pan, except the rice and let the water reduce. This creates the delicious broth that gives the rice its great flavor. The problem is that then you don't know how much water is in the pan to cook the rice. I learned how to solve this in a video. You put the exact amount of water for the rice in the paella then stand a slotted spoon in the middle and mark the slot on the spoon where the water level is. Then reduce for about 15 minutes, stick the spoon in again and add water to the original spot in the spoon

This reducing time also allows the coals to die down a bit before adding the rice - a good thing. I then added the rice, a nice chunk of apple wood and closed the lid for fifteen minutes, then uncovered until it was finished.
On to the pics. I ran out of light and had to use flash (bounced) for a couple of the shots because I still haven't bought my clamp on lights

The ingredients before prepping. The wine went in the Cook (me), not in the paella


The meats go in until they are nice and browned.

Peas, peppers, onion and Sazon join the party over the fire.

Everyone in the pool


And the finished product. My wife kept sticking a spoon in the pan and eating the thing "Spaniard style" so I had to cut the photo thing short and couldn't take the "definitive" shot


Thanks for looking!
Best,
Jose
Last edited: