Smothering (food) facts for kids

A tasty plate of smothered steak and gravy served over white rice from Garys Grocery in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Smothering is a special cooking method used a lot in Cajun and Creole cooking from Louisiana. It means cooking meat, seafood, or vegetables slowly in a covered pot with a little bit of liquid. Think of it like a stove-top braise. When you smother meat, it's often served over rice with gravy, which is called a "rice and gravy" dish. Smothered vegetables are usually served as side dishes with a meal.

How Smothering Works

This cooking method starts by browning your food, like meat or vegetables. This browning creates a yummy flavor and color through something called the Maillard reaction. After browning, you add liquid, like broth or water, to the pot. This step is called deglazing. Then, you cover the pot and let the food cook slowly over low heat for a long time.

Chefs often use a cast iron pot or a dutch oven for smothering. These pots are great because they spread the heat evenly, making sure your food cooks perfectly.

Smothered Meats

Many different kinds of meat are "smothered" in South Louisiana cooking. This includes both farm animals and wild game.

Farm Animals

Common farm animals cooked this way include chicken, domestic duck, pork, beef (even parts like liver), and domestic rabbit.

Wild Game

Wild animals often smothered are squirrel, rabbit, nutria rat, feral pig, woodcock, wild duck, and venison.

Originally, smothering was a way for farmers and workers to make cheap cuts of meat taste amazing. Today, popular dishes like "smothered steak" and "smothered pork roast" are served all over Acadiana at local "plate lunch houses." These are restaurants where you can get a main dish with a few side dishes.

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  Browning the meat in a cast-iron pot.

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  "Smothering" the meat and vegetables in the pot.

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  The finished dish, served with rice.

Smothered Shellfish: Étouffée

A delicious Shrimp and Crab Étouffée plate lunch from Dwyers Cafe in Lafayette.

In French, the word "étouffée" actually means "smothered." Étouffée can be made with different kinds of shellfish. The most famous version is Crawfish Étouffée, but shrimp étouffée is also very popular.

Étouffée was first a favorite dish in the Acadiana area around Lafayette. Later, it became popular in the city of New Orleans and then all over the country. Many Cajun restaurant owners say that étouffée is the most popular dish on their menus!

Smothered Vegetables

You can also smother many different vegetables. Some common ones include cabbage, okra, potatoes, and corn. To keep the vegetables from burning, cooks add animal fats or oils. Sometimes, they also add meat products like salt pork or andouille sausage for extra flavor.