It’s my first gumbo so I’m following a recipe. The trinity and garlic was chopped fine in a Ninja before adding it and sliced sausage to roux and simmering. I was looking for a monogany roux and it matched a picture of a mahogany roux so I went with it.

I cook the veg in the hot roux.

I learned from my Grandma Comeaux - she made the best gumbo ever, mine is the 2nd best - and sorry, yes, I use store bought roux - much easier. Pretty simple and we like our gumbo thin - more soup than stew. Green onion, celery, sausage, chicken, shrimp - mix all with roux and water, bring to full boil, then let simmer for as long as needed. Don't skimp on Tony's. No celery, beans, or other superfluous ingredients. Pour over rice and enjoy with crackers or sweet cornbread. Easy peasy!

In my youth, I was a cook at Don's Seafood in Lafayette, so I've cooked more roux and gumbo than ya'll will see in your life. I still think they have the best authentic So. La/Cajun prepped food around.

I'm always fascinated by the gumbo recipes that pop up in the food section, creative... I'll give you a few pointers on making real So. La. gumbo .

- Buy roux in the jar. (You've heard that but it's worth repeating)
- Cook down your onions/bell pepper/garlic and celery in butter first. You have more onion than bell pepper and more bell pepper than celery. Should be about 1/4 or more of your final pot to start.
- While that's going, cook your stock of whatever you're making (Shrimp, Chicken, Crab, etc.) in a big pot of water. This will become your primary gumbo base and is key. Cook until about halfway done.
- Remove any larger unidentied floating pieces of stuff in said water after removing the stock.
- Pour your stock water in your vege's. Get to a simmer and begin adding roux for color and thickness. Not too dark, not to thick or it will taste "roux-y". Give the roux time to do it's thing before adding more, particularly as it pertains to thickness. More you cook, thicker it will get.
- If sausage is in your mix, put it in sliced/uncooked. Tasso is always a good thing to add for most anything, poultry or seafood.
- Add your stock of whatever and begin seasoning to your taste.
- Cook until you have color/consistency of your choosing. I'm usually simmering here for an hour or so.

- Okra is largely only common for Shrimp/Okra, sometimes Chicken/Sausage, though everyone here seems to think it's in every variety, sorry, it's just not.
- Tomatoes, Beans, Noodles, Corn only go in soup, not gumbo.

You do need to get you a jar of File' to go with your bowl, just a couple of pinches. It's on Amazon, grocery stores here are hit and miss.

I'm only trying to protect the foods of my home state from a Texas thrashing.... carry on, you've been properly instructed.

Charlie

Don't overlook the shrimp! They are very easy to overlook. They should still be translucent. Mbavo had a picture the other day and his shrimp were done just right. He added them at the very last.

I just added the raw shrimp and canned crab meat. It’s at a low simmer for about 20 minutes and it’s done. I will add 2 tbsp file powder just before serving.

good to know as I have tried several times from online recipes that I give mixed reviews. My wife doesn't care for gumbo, so I rarely attempt unless she is out of town and I am left to my own creations.

Dang autocorrect. My post should say don't over cook the shrimp.

Yep. Ten minutes is enough.

Good job adding the Okra Cast, don't listen to those lightweights

I pulled it early for the shrimp. Added a couple shakes file and served it over long grain. Mama had three bowls, I had two. I’ll get this recipe right next time.



Damn I’m good!!

Came out looking great!

My grandmother used to make and store roux long before you could buy roux in a jar. Scratch roux is better but not sure it's better enough to justify the effort. If I'm cooking for a crowd I'll make it from scratch, if not, I'll use jar.

I like okra in my gumbo but don't always add it. It will definitely thicken things up if you like it thicker.

I also put a light smoke on my fresh sausage before adding it. I like the flavor it adds.

Way to go Cast, bout time you got after some gumbo!

One thing I’ve learned about Cajuns and gumbo, everybody’s recipe/way of doing it is the only “right” way. If you do it different then you don’t know what you’re doing lol. Families that live a block away from each other cooking gumbo for generations fussin’ with each other about ingredients just like we fuss about real chili and a proper Texas brisket. Everybody’s a gumbo purist Just don’t put tomatoes or Rotel in a gumbo and call it Cajun, that’s Creole. I like okra in all my gumbos, and there’s a couple of different ways to cook the okra without it being slimy. IMO a gumbo is not supposed to be real dark and thick, stews are dark & thick. There’s a difference between a gumbo and a stew in Cajun Country, most Texans don’t know that.

Anyway, put whatever you want in there as far as meat. Some of the best gumbo I’ve ever eaten had it all in there, and I’ve made it that way plenty of times. Chicken/sausage/tasso/shrimp/crawfish/crab/oysters/eggs. The ol’ boy that made it come right out da swamp, webbed feet n all. He said dat’s da way we make a gumbo, I ain’t worried about how dat boy over dere makes his.

Oh, and geaux Tigas!

Yes Sir. IMO there is a difference between scratch & store bought roux. I always make scratch, but keep a jar for backup in case I need more. I ain’t lazy, nothing like an 8-10 beer roux.

I do 5 minutes on the shrimp.

What he said. ^^^^

You can, but I wouldn’t. I need to send you a can or two of Fremin’s Magic Dust, made in New Iberia. I just ordered another case of it. It’ll be hard to use anything else after you try it. I’ll shoot you a PM for a shipping address.

Now I want to make gumbo.

Thanks! I’ll take you up on that. I’ll offer a couple 6 oz bottles of Cajun Chef green Tabasco peppers in vinegar for your greens. I just received a case of those. Or would you rather have some of their spicy pickled green tomatoes?

I personally prefer Slap Dat over Tony C's, way less salt.

My mama taught me to make gravy in a cast iron skillet as soon as I was tall enough to stir the skillet. She would scold me if I bought roux in a jar. I can hear her now, ‘It’s just gravy cooked longer to get a nice color.’

The one thing I was worried about making correctly was the roux. I was scared I would burn it. I shouldn’t have worried, it was a piece of cake.

Don’t worry mama, I’ll make roux from scratch using bacon fat and flour, just like you taught me.



See? I’m loaded for bear.

you can buy bacon grease? man, I've always just cooked bacon and saved the grease ... dang, I've learned several things from this thread

I've seen those tubs of bacon grease at Buc-ee's.