Liven up your party with a Cajun tradition
Hosting guests is a great way to spend time with family and friends, but after a while, the basic party ideas can seem a bit outdated. Coming up with fun themes or ideas can be a bit daunting, but by checking out the traditions of other cultures, you may find just what you need to liven up your next party. If you’re looking for a way to liven up your gatherings with fun new ideas and topics, consider borrowing a Cajun tradition or two. Louisianans are known for having a good time, whether it’s at Mardi Gras or just a family gathering.
Ditch the same backyard barbecue you plan every year and host a crab boil instead. A crawfish boil is a great laid-back event that guests of all ages can enjoy, and you can host one even if live crawfish are unknown in your area because many Louisiana companies can ship them to you as long as they’re in season. (January to June). In addition to the crawfish, you can also serve ears of corn, whole red potatoes, and onions—just add them to the same boiling pot. Have plenty of cold beer and soft drinks available and your guests will definitely have a memorable time.
Instead of serving another oven-roasted turkey to your dinner guests, treat them to a delicious stuffed turkey. A turducken is a Cajun poultry phenomenon consisting of a semi-boned turkey that is stuffed with a boneless duck that is stuffed with a boneless chicken. Additionally, each bird is also stuffed with some sort of seasoned dressing. Since turduckens can be baked in the oven or cooked on a grill or smoker, they work great as a main dish for dinner parties and cookouts.
You can even use thin slices to make delicious sandwiches that your guests will love. Simply use the turducken slices in place of roast beef, ham, or turkey. Just be sure to use a sausage-stuffed variety because the ones with cornbread or rice toppings tend to fall apart when sliced and could make for some pretty messy sandwiches.
If a turducken is too much for your guests, try frying a turkey instead. A Cajun fried turkey has crispy skin and a tender juicy interior that is definitely a hungry crowd pleaser. A fried turkey is not battered like fried chicken, but simply seasoned well with a dry marinade or injected with a marinade and fried in hot oil. Most Louisianans prefer peanut oil because it adds an extra layer of flavor, but you can use any oil with a high smoke point. Since this cooking process requires 2 gallons of hot oil (should be heated to about 350 degrees), you should only try to prepare this tasty bird outdoors; however, whether to serve it indoors or outdoors depends solely on the style of your party.
For an idea that will get party guests involved in preparing the food, take a cue from a Cajun Mardi Gras tradition. On Mardi Gras day, townspeople travel from house to house requesting various ingredients that are needed to prepare a communal meal, usually gumbo. You can recreate this tradition any time of the year by asking each guest to bring an ingredient for the gumbo. Gumbo is a dish best suited to cooler weather, but during the warmer months you can request that guests contribute the necessary ingredients for a jambalaya.
These Cajun-inspired ideas provide great entertaining options that can be used year-round to liven up any party or dinner party. Whether you’re hosting a backyard party or Thanksgiving dinner, give it a Cajun twist and your guests are sure to have a great time they won’t soon forget.