Gumbo Recipe

Here's my gumbo recipe, this one was duck and venison sausage but you can sub any meat. I've never used store bought roux so can't comment on that, but I use peanut oil and flour for mine. IMO the most overlooked part of gumbo is having a good stock. If using duck, dove, chicken venison etc. save the carcass/bones and put in the oven at 500 with carrot onion celery until brown. Throw it all in a stock pot and fill with water and let simmer for a few hours. Strain everything out and set aside.




I like a dark roux for meat based gumbo. Pull it off heat just before it gets the color you want, it will continue to darken as it sits.



You can see how much darker it gets.



Rough chop onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic, lots of garlic. I take all the veggies and saute in pot with olive oil until hot, then put in as much roux as you think you need. Stir it all together and make sure it's hot and then start adding stock about a cup at a time. Make sure it incorporates before you add another cup so it doesn't clump together.



Time to season. Right above the stock picture above is my seasoning. I like fresh thyme, dried parsley, salt, pepper, paprika & cayenne. 2 bay leaves also. Put all your seasoning in and your meat, except sausage if you're using it. Let simmer for at least 1 hour, longer the better IMO. Use a ladle to get any oil that rises to top. Adjust seasoning if needed. I add sausage 20 mins or so before serving.



Rice or bread, some green onion, tabasco and a cold one.

Looks great.

Ok I'm sold. Never made gumbo before but you make it look so dang good that I simply must get my Cajun on. I grew up on Caddo Lake so I can claim some Cajun influence.

Thanks for sharing, i gotta try this

Good job!

Thanks guys, don't have a cajun bone in my body either. I worked with a guy years ago from New Orleans and I made him give me some pointers.

I forgot file powder at the end, knew I was forgetting something.

Most Cajun cooks serve the file when serving.

I like Okra in there a little bit. Yours looks good!

Once you buy a jar of Kary's or Savoie's roux in a jar (the oil version, not the sissy dry stuff), you'll never waste another minute making your own. The roux's only real purpose is a color and thickening agent. Flour and oil do not make a tasty combination. Make a roux too light and you just end up with a funny color, it will still thicken things up. Make it too dark and it will give your dish a burnt taste and ruin it. The roux in a jar is always perfect!

I couldn't agree more on the stock comment. I've seen some pretty nasty recommendations on here as to what makes a good gumbo, but basic seasoning/veggies (with butter vs olive oil) and a good stock as Tres pointed out and you'll be saying "Ca c'est bon, cher"

Charlie

So you debone your meat while it's raw then, correct?

What would happen if you tossed in a handful of chopped serranos?

Magic I bet.

Me too

Finally made my first pot of duck and andouille sausage gumbo. Added okra to mine.

Son said it don't taste like my other gumbo. Told him DUH, the only other gumbo I made was seafood gumbo. For my 1st time making anything other than seafood gumbo, it was pretty dang good, thanks Tres for for your recipe tips.

And for the 1st time I cheated and used store bought roux, Kary's

Smoked turkey and andouille...

I'm putting oysters in my next batch.

Oh my....

Love me some JW.