I’ve made paella many times but honestly I never made grilled paella until recently, and now I don’t think I’ll ever make it any other way. Making paella on the grill gives you a larger cooking surface which gives you more even cooking all around as opposed to using just a burner on the stove.
Having the rice spread out evenly on the wide, shallow paella pan creates the perfect condition for socarrat, which is the crunchy, crust that forms on the bottom, known as the prized part of eating a paella. I once read that socarrat is to a paella what the smoke ring is to a brisket, and by making a grilled paella it’s easy to achieve.
Let me just say I’m no expert on making paella, but I do love making it. The presentation is dramatic and it’s cooked all in one vessel! There are so many versions of paella, seafood, vegetarian, meat, I could go on and on, but for this grilled version I kept it simple by using shrimp with andouille, a spicy smoked sausage.
For paella you have to use a short grain rice, you can find the brand above or a rice called bomba but if not, arborio or carnaroli will do.
Another key ingredient is the spice saffron, a little goes a long way. I found this spice packet from Spain on Amazon which has just the right amount in it along with some other spices to flavor the paella so well.
Making a grilled paella gives you a rich, smoky flavor and it’s fairly easy to do providing you have all your ingredients prepared and ready to go.
I have two paella pans, a 15 inch and a 22 inch depending on what ingredients you decide on and what you’ll be serving with it, you can feed quite a few people, so it’s a great dish for entertaining.
A beautiful grilled paella is a wonderful option for a special occasion or just a casual dinner with friends. It’s still grilling season, so get on out there and make this!
Look at that crusty bottom, the famous socarrat! That’s exactly what you want to see as you’re serving it up.
I hope you enjoy as much as I do!
Follow prouditaliancook on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.
- 1 lb. jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined and tail on, dried of all moisture and tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper
- ½ lb. smoked andouille sausage or any smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
- 1½ cups of short grain rice, valencia, bomba, arborio or carnaroli
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 4 small fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 5 cloves, garlic chopped
- 1 Paellero spice packet or a pinch of saffron and a teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 2 heaping Tablespoons of a roasted red pepper sauce, store bought or made by whizzing roasted red peppers in a food processor
- 1 quart of chicken broth, warmed up
- 1 red, yellow and orange pepper sliced thin
- 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted
- parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
- olive oil
- Heat your grill up, for gas have all burners on and leave on medium high
- Put the paella pan on and drizzle the bottom with olive oil.
- When pan is hot add the sliced smoked sausage tossing for a couple of minutes.
- Add the onions and garlic until you start to smell them.
- Add chopped tomatoes, the rice and the spices, tossing and toasting the rice for a few minutes.
- Add the roasted red pepper sauce, mixing until incorporated.
- Then add in 2 cups of the warm broth making sure the rice is evenly spread across the bottom of the pan, now is the time you do not stir. Just make sure the sausage is evenly distributed as well.
- Place the thinly cut peppers all around.
- Add 2 more cups of warm broth then distribute the shrimp all around the paella pan.
- Toss in the peas and put the lid on the grill down and let it go for a few minutes.
- If it's looking dry add 2 more cups of the broth, but no stirring.
- You can taste test the edges, because that will be the last to get tender, so you'll know when it's ready when the rice is tender but firm to the bite.
- Remove, garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.
- Serve it up right in the pan.
Marie, this looks amazing! I too am not a paella maven, however a close friend is and he always prepares it on the grill to achieve that crunchy crusty bottom – the hallmark of a good paella. He gifted me two paella pans which I use for a multitude of things especially roasting fish.
Brava on a job well done!