How to Make Paella on the Grill
Paella on the backyard grill.
It takes a little effort, but the result is worth it
Paella is a great dish to make on an outdoor grill. It takes a little effort and you will need appropriately sized cookware, but it's well worth the time that you put into the preparation.
There are many ways to make Paella and many ingredient variations. This recipe is my version based on trial and error, along with personal preference.
To make paella on an outdoor grill, you will need a paella pan of at least 15" across. The one I use is the Lodge Carbon Steel Paella Pan. This pan works perfectly, will feed at least eight and cleans up easily. But cast iron or stainless steel will work as well — anything that can take the heat. Another thing to consider is that these pans have two small handles on the sides and not one long handle like a stove top pan. This makes it easier to close the lid of your cooker if space is an issue (like on a kamado style cooker).
The trick with paella when cooking it over hardwood lump charcoal on a grill is having the ability to raise and lower your heat source. If you cannot do that with your setup, then you will need the ability to raise and lower the pan itself (to increase or decrease cooking temperature). Fireproof bricks could be a good option for this. There are times when you want high heat and times when you need to reduce boiling to a simmer. So this ability is important, particularly towards the end of the cook when the rice could burn if the heat is too intense.
Paella just coming to a simmer.
My setup is an Argentinian-style FireMagic charcoal grill, which allows me to raise and lower the charcoal bed (and even refuel if need be, without disturbing the cook). It is also important to make sure that your grill’s coal bed will cover the entire base of your pan. Paella has to cook evenly (you cannot have a hotspot in the middle), so this is another important consideration.
There's a big debate about whether or not it's authentic to include Spanish chorizo in your paella. We like meat and we like chorizo, so I include it in my version. I've tried both fresh (raw chorizo) and cured chorizo and tend to like using the cured better. But either will work if you want to include chorizo.
Paella Ingredients:
5-6 boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1” to 2” pieces)
4 spanish chorizo sausages (cut into 3/4” slices)
4 cups (1 L) vegetable broth or chicken broth
6-8 shrimp (I like size 16/20)
2 cups bomba rice (order online if you can’t find it locally)
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 cloves crushed garlic
generous pinch of saffron
sea salt (approx 1/2 teaspoon)
fresh crushed black pepper (approx 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 spanish or vidalia onion (diced)
2 red bell peppers (cut into 3/4” to 1” squares)
canola oil or other high heat oil (approx. 3 or 4 tablespoons)
fava or romano beans (half can, drain the liquid)
lemon sectioned
Paella ready to come off the grill and rest.
How to Make Paella on the Grill
Prepare all of your ingredients in advance (mises en place) so that you are ready to go one after another when you begin your cook. I like to put my broth into a large measuring cup and add the saffron into the broth at least an hour before I begin.
Bring your grill up to full heat. I use two full charcoal chimneys of hardwood lump charcoal and it easily carries me through the cook.
Place your pan on the grill and get it hot. Add your oil to the pan then add the chicken and chorizo. Using a wooden spoon/spatula, brown the chicken and meat for 10-15 minutes in the hot oil. Use your discretion as to when it is just about cooked.
Move the meat to one side of the pan and add your onions, garlic and bell pepper. Cook these in the pan until the onions become translucent. Then blend the meat and veggies together in the pan (if this didn't happen already).
Add the tomato puree and paprika and mix it in.
Gently add your broth and saffron and stir it around to even out everything in the pan.
Next, add your bomba rice by sprinkling it evenly across the pan. The key is to make sure that all of the rice is under the broth. So feel free to use your spatula or spoon to gently move the rice around until none is visible.
The most important point about paella is that after adding the rice, you cannot move the contents of the pan again. No stirring of any kind. The rice needs to rest in place and absorb the liquid into each grain. If you stir the rice, you risk mushing it and making risotto. That is not what you want. The magic of paella is the flavorful rice and why the type of rice you use is critical.
Bring the pan to a simmer and adjust your heat to keep it there.
After 15 minutes or so, add your beans to the top without disturbing or stirring the contents of your pan.
Monitor your paella as the liquid begins to disappear and the rice reappears (now full of tasty goodness).
There is a bit of an art form at this point, as you want to add your shrimp by placing them gently in place on top (see photos) approximately 15 minutes before your paella is done.
As the liquid begins to disappear from your paella pan, gently sample a grain or two of rice to see if it's done. It probably is not quite done yet — you are aiming for al dente. This is when you want to add a little more liquid in the pan to continue cooking the rice (but don't stir anything). I usually need to add a half cup of water a couple of times. Add a half cup or so and let it continue cooking. Test it again as the liquid disappears and add more water if need be until your rice is cooked to perfection.
Once the paella is done, remove the pan from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh sliced lemon slices.
Paella ready to serve.
Soccarat: the choice is yours.
A trademark that everyone strives for with paella is to have the bottom layer of rice slightly brown into a bit of a crust on the bottom of the pan. This is known as the soccarat. The trick is to increase the heat on the bottom of the pan for a short period when the paella is basically done to get that nice crust. BUT there is a risk of burning, so use your own discretion. You can’t see the soccarat, so there’s some science, magic and good luck at work. You can test for it by using the back of a spoon to see if a bottom layer is forming. I am happy with a very well cooked paella and have not yet tried to achieve a soccarat, but the choice is yours.
Have fun and enjoy cooking your paella! Your entire yard will smell delicious with the complex fragrances filling the air.