Best Gumbo Recipes

[DD]

In some parts of Louisiana, they serve the gumbo on baked sweet potatoes. Not lyin'

 

[DuneAHH]

Thanks, honey, but can I just come to your house again....:funn:
Wow! Lots of steps...but totally worth it...delicioso!!
Thanks again!

ABSOLUTELY Darlin' !!
But as you'll recall... gulping summer beer along the way made all those
steps WHIZ by !!!

Truly it's EZ...no big deal at all...it just appears that way by the manner in which I wrote it out. AND... remember we were sort of adding as we went along & I tried to make recipe notes the next day... ... so take the recipe in the spirit in which it was created

 

[DD]

ABSOLUTELY Darlin' !!
But as you'll recall... gulping summer beer along the way made all those
steps WHIZ by !!!

Truly it's EZ...no big deal at all...it just appears that way by the manner in which I wrote it out. AND... remember we were sort of adding as we went along & I tried to make recipe notes the next day... ... so take the recipe in the spirit in which it was created

That summer beer made the whole night WHIZ by!!
I know what you're sayin'. I'm gonna make it--hmmmmm--maybe Christmas!! My uncle will be here from La. He'll be impressed!!

 

[DuneAHH]

In some parts of Louisiana, they serve the gumbo on baked sweet potatoes. Not lyin'

That sounds icky.

 

[DD]

That sounds icky.

I know. It's actually not bad. I made it for a white trash party once, and there was nothing left!

 

[DuneAHH]

I love to make gumbo in the winter, but I wing it each time. Some people use Okra for a thickening agent, in lieu of a roux, but I think that version has too slimy a texture. First, I make a shrimp stock using the heads and shells of the shrimp. Then, I make a dark roux using bacon grease and flour (never said I made healthy gumbo), while cooking up the rest. I will often use sausage and shrimp for the meat. I brown the sausage in a large pot, then add to it, onions and a bit of celery, green and or red peppers, hot peppers, white pepper (spice), black pepper, a little Crystal hot sauce, maybe a little red wine, or other good stuff that is around. let cook for 5-10 minutes, add a boat load of maters (if you use canned, try the Stewed Tomatoes). cook a while more. Add the shrimp stock, return to boil. Add peeled shrimp, and cook until just before shrimp turn completely pink. They will finish cooking rather quickly. Remove from heat. Let rest for about 1 hour. Sometimes I will cook a little white rice and add that into the mix, but I don't want rice gumbo. I want shrimp and sausage gumbo, so i not too much rice. After resting for an hour or so, put it in the refrigerator and forget about all that cooking until tomorrow. Then, when tomorrow comes, I will cook up some home made cornbread, reheat the gumbo, and BAM! all the flavors come together. Eating Gumbo on day one should be illegal.

This sounds good SJ. I like the sound of dark roux, sausage & shrimp...mmm & red wine too!
I prefer roux & file (okra is OK...but not as the main thickening agent).

I need some clarification on your layering process...
1. About how much liquid to make your shrimp stock? To cover?
2. When do you add the roux...to the sauteed trinity & sausage?
3. Do you go ahead & add some rice BEFORE you set it away until minana?

 

[seaside2]

Couple of things:
1. Summer Beer is GRAYT!! We keep the suff around all summer. Doesn't last long for some reason!!!;-) Especially good to take to the beach.
2.SJ is right on with his recipe and re-heating the second day. Fresh gumbo is not nearly as good as the second (or third) day. Kind of like field peas and such.
3. Purists don't like it but a good packaged base is not a bad way to start out if you are not really comforatable with making a roux from scratch. Really easy to burn and mess up your gumbo. Zataran used to make a base but I haven't seen it up here in a long time. They have one with rice already in it, but this is not the way I like it.

 

[DuneAHH]

Check out www.nolacuisine.com recipes, pictures, commentary. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. Recipe links are on the right column down a bit. I have been inspired to make my own tasso and andouille..after I build a smoker (may take a while ). There are a couple different gumbos the darker roux one being more classic I guess, though I prefer the gumbos from the brick roux. Plus I think there is a gumbo z'herbes there as well..all greens. I haven't tried it yet but it will happen soon it looks great. Good luck! Maybe experiment and use duck fat for the roux. Now I can't go to work today, I am off to the store.

I can't get the above link to load...any suggestions?

 

[Smiling JOe]

This sounds good SJ. I like the sound of dark roux, sausage & shrimp...mmm & red wine too!
I prefer roux & file (okra is OK...but not as the main thickening agent).

I need some clarification on your layering process...
1. About how much liquid to make your shrimp stock? To cover?
2. When do you add the roux...to the sauteed trinity & sausage?
3. Do you go ahead & add some rice BEFORE you set it away until minana?

I forgot to add the roux in my recipe. OOPS! good catch.

1) shrimp stock-- add shrimp peels and heads to a little canola oil (or butter) and brown. Add onions and celery (can also add carrots), salt and pepper. sautee for 5-10 minutes on medium heat. Add water. Amount of water depends on how much stock I want and how much soup I make. I usually make big batches of gumbo, and would add maybe 3qrts of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 30-45 minutes (uncovered). You can skim off fat which floats to the top.

2) I add roux to thicken just prior to adding the shrimp. Stir in roux in small portions until disolved. Note that the soup will not thicken immediately, so careful with the amount which you add.

3) Yes, I typically add cooked some cooked rice toward the end of cooking. I try to keep it as a thick soup, but also love to pour the gumbo over a bowl of rice for a full entree feel. Always serve with corn bread. Yum!

Though not as tasty as homemade shrimp stock, it is a little less work to use chicken, or fish bullion cubes to make a stock. Fish is better than chicken, if you have a choice.

 

[elgordoboy]

I can't get the above link to load...any suggestions?

Try it again perhaps, it just worked for me. Good luck