Cajun and creole seasoning: are they interchangeable?

LissaC

LissaC

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Can use cajun and creole seasoning interchangeably in dishes?

I made this Emeril's Braised Chicken recipe today, and used cajun instead of creole seasoning because that's what I had at home. It tasted delicious, but I can't keep from wondering what kind of character the dish would have if I had used creole seasoning instead. My understanding is that creole seasoning is made mostly of dried herbs whereas cajun seasoning is heavier on the paprika and onion. Am I correct?
 
Not if your cajun or creole lol. Cajun is recognized mostly for it's heat while creole is known for it's earthy aromatics (herbs and spices). I often combine both but don't describe it as one or the other. I prefer a blend of both but I'm in Canada where we are far removed from the actual daily life of either cuisines. I'm sure some American members that have a better grasp will throw in for a better description. Cheers.
 
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Cajun and creole cooking are different, but there is a lot of overlap, especially in herbs and spices.

Actually, garlichead is not quite right. Cajun is very earthy, and "heat" is always secondary to flavor. Most people outside of cajun country think cajun food is "blow your face off hot." That's not actually true. Cajun heat is more of a slow burn. It sneaks up on you.

The biggest difference with Creole is the use of tomatoes for sauces and soups. Cajun cooking is not tomato based. Creole spices will tend to be a little more from Africa and the Caribbean. Cajun is from Acadian (French Canadians driven out of Canada) roots. But, like I said, there is a lot of crossover.

So, to answer the OP, you can use a cajun spice or a creole spice and not mess up a dish. There is enough in common.

Perhaps EB has more on this. She has a deeper knowledge of this topic.

CD
 
Fascinating. I´ve got no idea whatsoever, never having eaten anything creole or cajun - but I couldn´t resist looking it up. The main point seems to have been that "creoles" were city dwellers, and "cajuns", country people. Obviously a huge French influence and, at some stage, an African influence. That´s all I captured, and having never tasted either...
 
I use a Creole blend for either, but Cajun blends tend to have a bit more spice.

Creole cooking is more citified, gentrified. The Creoles were the younger French and Spanish sons, and their families, from wealthy families who emigrated to make their mark in the new world since the oldest son would inherit the bulk of the family fortune. The African and new world influences came along because of the slaves and what food stuffs were available.

Cajun is more country. The French Canadians, Acadians, Indians and escaped or freed slaves who made do with what they could catch, forage or grow, and they didn't waste anything remotely edible back in the day; thus, the heavier seasoning.
 
Thank you all for the input. My question was specific to the seasonings, I think I will try making my own creole mix at home to see how different the dish would have tasted if I had used it instead of cajun seasoning. From the recipe I found, creole seems to have more dried herbs than cajun seasoning.
 
LissaC said:
Thank you all for the input. My question was specific to the seasonings, I think I will try making my own creole mix at home to see how different the dish would have tasted if I had used it instead of cajun seasoning. From the recipe I found, creole seems to have more dried herbs than cajun seasoning.
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I have very little experience with creole cooking. I do a lot of cajun cooking.

I don't use pre-made cajun/creole spice blends because they are VERY heavy on the salt. That seems to be true of a lot of store bought spice blends and rubs of any type.

CD
 
caseydog said:
I have very little experience with creole cooking. I do a lot of cajun cooking.

I don't use pre-made cajun/creole spice blends because they are VERY heavy on the salt. That seems to be true of a lot of store bought spice blends and rubs of any type.

CD
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These spice mixes aren't easy to find here in Portugal, I bought my cajun seasoning from an online store that specializes in selling spice mixes. But they didn't deliver one item I ordered and didn't refund me and I'm not buying from them ever again, so I'll try making the creole spice mix at home. I'm thinking of using this recipe (but I'm willing to try a different one if anyone has suggestions).
 
LissaC said:
These spice mixes aren't easy to find here in Portugal, I bought my cajun seasoning from an online store that specializes in selling spice mixes. But they didn't deliver one item I ordered and didn't refund me and I'm not buying from them ever again, so I'll try making the creole spice mix at home. I'm thinking of using this recipe (but I'm willing to try a different one if anyone has suggestions).
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That looks like a decent recipe. I don't use that many ingredients, and I use black pepper, but I may try white pepper in the future.

The key ingredient is the cayenne pepper. That is essential to Louisiana cooking, whether cajun or creole. You can use more or less depending on how much heat you like. If you are Yorky, you can use a half-cup of cayenne, and it should be just about right. :laugh:

To be honest, I don't generally mix up a blend for cajun cooking. I just add the separate herbs and spices to whatever I am cooking. But they are pretty much the same as what is in the blend, most of the time.

CD
 
CD is correct about the missconception of REAL Cajun Cooking. Heat is ued spatingly. Very subtle.
I rarely use prepared seasoning mixes. Cajun or Creole are either too salty or too hot or both. I use sea salt and fresh ground pepper on everything. I may use Smoked Paprika. Depending on the dish I may use a pinch of Cayenne or Red Pepper Flakes. Always in moderation.
I use fresh onion in all savory dishes, garlic in most, celery - a lot, bell pepper - more often than not. Fresh hot peppers - depends on the dish, always cored and minced for a subtle heat. Herbs - lots. I prefer fresh but will use dried - Thyme, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Rosemary, Parsley, File, Bay Leaves.
Don't worry about premade mixes. Make your own using what you like. You can find many recipes for both Cajun and Creole seasoning mixes. There will be a lot of overlap. Find one that sounds good to you and make your own.
 
ElizabethB said:
CD is correct about the missconception of REAL Cajun Cooking. Heat is ued spatingly. Very subtle.
I rarely use prepared seasoning mixes. Cajun or Creole are either too salty or too hot or both. I use sea salt and fresh ground pepper on everything. I may use Smoked Paprika. Depending on the dish I may use a pinch of Cayenne or Red Pepper Flakes. Always in moderation.
I use fresh onion in all savory dishes, garlic in most, celery - a lot, bell pepper - more often than not. Fresh hot peppers - depends on the dish, always cored and minced for a subtle heat. Herbs - lots. I prefer fresh but will use dried - Thyme, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Rosemary, Parsley, File, Bay Leaves.
Don't worry about premade mixes. Make your own using what you like. You can find many recipes for both Cajun and Creole seasoning mixes. There will be a lot of overlap. Find one that sounds good to you and make your own.
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Thanks for posting. I'm pretty knowledgeable about cajun cooking, but not as much as you are.

There used to be a popular restaurant in Dallas called Razoo's. They basically dumped massive amounts of cayenne pepper into everything, so that's what people thought cajun cooking was all about. They went out of business.

I agree completely that store bought cajun seasonings are too heavy on the salt. They can also be too heavy on the cayenne. That's why I like to add my seasonings individually, and taste as I cook.

Hey EB, do you have a cajun seasoning blend that you make? Or, maybe come up with one that people on the forum can use? I have that on my to-do list, so I should get around to it sometime in 2023. :laugh:

CD
 
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