Gumbo Feast Gumbo Recipes

VALERIE'S VERY BEST GUMBO

Steps:

• Warm 1 cup oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until hot. Add the flour to the pot all at once, whisking until the consistency is uniform. Cook the roux, whisking occasionally, until it is the color of a tarnished penny, about 20 minutes. Do not let it darken any further. Carefully add the celery, bell peppers, onion, chopped scallions and garlic to the pot, working away from you as the hot roux may spatter. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add enough stock to just cover the vegetables, about 1 quart, and stir to combine. The roux may separate. Add the tomatoes with their juices, andouille and smoked sausages, cayenne, bay leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining stock, about 1 more quart. Partially cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the gel dries out slightly, about 3 minutes. Add to the Dutch oven.
• Taste the gumbo for seasoning and adjust as desired. Add the chicken, cook until warmed through and serve, or simmer up to 2 hours more to concentrate the flavors, adding the chicken 20 minutes before serving.
• Sprinkle with the reserved sliced scallions and serve over rice. Serve with hot sauce and file powder if using.

GUMBO FEAST GUMBO

Steps:

• 5 hours before you plan to serve the gumbo, begin making the roux.
• Combine flour and oil in a skillet and heat on medium low. Stir frequently!
• Combine the rest of the ingredients except for the shrimp and okra in a large pot. Chicken bones and all (this will add great flavor)!
• Heat on medium for 4 hours stirring occasionally.
• After 4 hours, add the shrimp and okra and begin removing chicken bones as you find them.
• Once the roux has reached a nice, dark brown color (this should take about 4 or 5 hours when done correctly), add it to the soup mixture.
• Be careful! It will sizzle and pop.
• In about 1 more hour, the shrimp should be fully thawed and cooked without adding a strong shrimpy flavor to the gumbo.
• Serve over rice. Warn your guests about the potential threat of chicken bones! ;).
• Enjoy!

GULF COAST GUMBO

Steps:

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the crayfish a little at a time so as not to stop the boil, and let cook until pink. Using a slotted spoon remove the crayfish and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. (Skim off and discard any impurities that have risen to the surface of the stock.) Now, remove the shells from the shrimp and add the shells to the pot of chicken stock, reserving the uncooked shrimp on a utility platter. Allow the shrimp shells to cook in the broth until pink, then strain the stock into another container and discard the shells.
• While the shrimp shells are boiling, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage and remove to a platter until it is cool enough to handle. In the sausage drippings over medium heat, saute the onion, celery, and green bell pepper until the onion turns translucent. Reduce the heat and whisk in the flour to make a roux, and let cook for about 15 minutes until it becomes a brown roux.
• While the roux is browning, slice the sausage into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces. Put the tomato paste in a small bowl and add some of the warm stock to make a slurry. Gradually whisk the warm stock and the tomato paste into the roux. Add the garlic powder, crushed red pepper, okra, 1 tablespoon parsley, scallions, red bell pepper, tomatoes and sausage. Cook over low heat until the okra - which contains a thickening agent - is tender, about 15 minutes, and the sausage is cooked through. While the mixture is cooking, remove the crayfish from their shells. (This is done by cracking the tail with both hands and forcing it back out through the curve of the tail.) Add the oysters and shrimp to the pot and cook about 5 minutes until the oysters are plump and the shrimp are pink. Stir in crayfish. Remove pot from heat and carefully fold in crab, trying not to break up the lumps.
• To serve, place some rice on serving dish and spoon some gumbo over. Sprinkle with file powder and garnish with remaining parsley.

GUMBO

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the chicken pieces, salt, hot sauce, liquid smoke and black pepper with 4 cups water in a large resealable bag and place inside a container (in case of leaks). Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and discard the brine.
• For the stock: If you have the time, allow the chicken to drain and dry out about 30 minutes prior to searing. It will create a better crust on the chicken and more brown bits on the bottom of the pot, ultimately adding more flavor to the gumbo.
• Sprinkle the chicken pieces, including the reserved neck, back and wing tips, with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven (enameled cast iron preferred), heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken pieces and brown well on all sides, turning as needed. Add the celery, carrots, onions and jalapenos, and continue to brown for an additional 10 minutes. Add 1 gallon water and the liquid smoke and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• After 1 1/2 hours, remove the chicken pieces, discarding the back, neck and wing tips. Strain the stock and reserve. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and shred, discarding the bones and fat.
• For the gumbo: In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausages and cook until the fat has rendered down, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Add the bacon fat and, when shimmering, add the onions, celery, bell peppers and Anaheim peppers. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are just starting to color, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, being careful not to let it burn. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Stir until a dark golden roux has developed, 11 to 13 minutes. Add 1 cup at a time of the stock, incorporating well after each addition, to total 6 cups.
• Add the reserved sausages, shredded chicken, cayenne and white pepper into the pot. Heat through and add the salt and black pepper. If the gumbo is too thick, add a bit more stock to the pot, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
• Serve over rice and garnish with parsley.

QUICK 'N EASY GUMBO

Steps:

• Pour a glass of nice red wine and have a drink.
• Put some Italian opera on the stereo and turn volume up.
• Start a big pot of rice, I prefer white rice to serve this gumbo over.
• Rice is on the top shelf to the right.
• Cut meat into nice bite-sized slices, keeping fingers clear of blade.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a big pot and slowly saute meat with garlic and onions.
• Try not to eat too much of the meat while you cook or allow family members to.
• Precooked meats like the pork will speed process.
• Uncooked meats like chicken or shrimp can be quickly boiled in chicken broth and tossed in later.
• Never under cook chicken.
• Saute until lightly browned.
• Add broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower heat to medium and then add all the other ingredients one at a time starting with firmer vegetables first (they need more cooking) and soft last.
• Toss in spices last.
• Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are blended and cooked to your liking.
• Not over cooked or too soft is how I like it.
• Maybe fifteen minutes tops.
• The longer you cook the more the flavors will blend, but I prefer separate identifiable flavors so I cook less.
• Now taste your results being careful not to burn your tongue no matter how hungry you are.
• You're going to need that tongue later.
• Add ingredients according to your liking.
• I like to toss in some of the wine I'm drinking and I always add more garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
• Don't make it too spicy or your wife will not enjoy it.
• Serve over rice in big bowls.
• Put salt and pepper and Tabasco on the table for others to adjust flavors to their liking.
• You can now add more Tabasco to your own bowl and give your wife a wink.
• Turn off the TV and try talking to each other for a change.
• Finish the bottle of wine and go for a walk around the neighborhood after dinner to aid digestion.
• Enjoy!

"BIG EASY" GUMBO

Steps:

• In 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Gradually stir in flour with whisk; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is chocolate colored. (Do not burn mixture.)
• Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning and garlic. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth. Add chicken, sausage and black-eyed peas. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in shrimp; cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp are pink.

ULTIMATE GULF COAST GUMBO

Steps:

• Peel and devein the shrimp and place in the refrigerator. Place shrimp heads and shells in a large pot, and cover with 2 quarts of water. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until liquid is reduced by half. Strain out and discard shrimp heads and shells. Reserve shrimp broth.
• Heat oil in a very large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir in flour with a long-handled spoon. Cook and stir for several minutes until dark brown and flour is puffing and absorbing the oil. Slowly stir in chicken broth and an equal amount of water. Place chicken in the pot. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, Old Bay seasoning, and salt. Boil until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove chicken from the pot, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard bones, and chop chicken into 1 inch pieces.
• Return chicken back to the pot, along with reserved shrimp broth, crab meat, sausage, and shrimp. Add the file powder, and stir from the bottom of the pot. When the gumbo comes to a boil, remove from heat. Continue to stir from the bottom for 1 minute. Serve.

SEAFOOD GUMBO

Steps:

• Combine the red, white, and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and salt; set aside.
• In a heavy pot, 5 quart or larger, heat oil over medium heat, warming the pot first. Add onions, celery, and green pepper. Turn heat to high. Stirring frequently, add garlic, file, hot sauce, and the pepper-herb mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add tomato sauce, and stir as it reduces over high heat. Add fish stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• When ready to serve, add shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat. Cover, and wait 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

IT'S SO EASY IT'S CHEATING GUMBO

Steps:

• Debone the chicken into bite size pieces.
• Slice the sausage into bite size pieces.
• I usually use 2/3 the chicken and ½ the sausage depending on how much meat you like in your gumbo.
• Brown the sausage.
• Cook the rice.
• Add the chicken stock, kitchen bouquet, pepper, water, gumbo base and chicken meat to the sausage.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, stir and simmer 20-25 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
• TIP: Can use brown or white rice. Recipe can be multiplied easily for larger parties. And freezes beautifully.
• TIP: Oak Grove products can be found at Walmart or other Grocers in the South or the following website link: Oak Grove Smokehouse Gumbo Base - Cajun Supermarket.

VEGETARIAN GLUTEN-FREE GUMBO!

Steps:

• Combine ingredients for roux in a small pan.
• Heat on lowest stove-top setting for 5-6 hours or until dark brown. STIR FREQUENTLY (every 10 minutes or so)! Do not cover.
• In a large pot, combine ingredients for soup. Cover the pot with a lid.
• Heat on medium-low for 5-6 hours.
• After the roux and the soup have been cooking for a good 5-6 hours, add the roux to the soup. It will make a very intense sizzling display! Be careful!
• Stir well until the gumbo becomes a homogeneous mixture.
• Add the Gumbo File to the entire pot when you're ready to serve.
• Serve over cooked rice.

EASY SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook and stir oil and flour in a skillet over medium heat until mixture is thick and the color of peanut butter, about 20 minutes.
• Stir onion, green bell pepper, and celery into flour mixture; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sausage; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes. Add Cajun seasoning, garlic, and black pepper; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Pour chicken stock over vegetable-sausage mixture; reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

QUICK AND EASY GUMBO

Steps:

• Saute frozen veggies in oil in a dutch oven until tender, adding all spices. Stir ocassionally.
• Add broth, tomatoes, chicken and rice to vegetable mixture and simmer for at least 20 minutes, or until rice and veggies are done.
• Enjoy.

NEW ORLEANS SEAFOOD FILé GUMBO RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the seafood gumbo stock: In a heavy-bottomed 5-quart pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the crabs and cook until the shells turn bright orange, 2-3 minutes. Add the shrimp shells and heads and cook until the shells turn pink, 2-3 minutes more. Smash the crab and shrimp shells, similar to mashing potatoes, to release any juices.
• Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery scraps, green onion, parsley, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, and water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-35 minutes.
• Strain the stock through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. You should have 12 cups. Set aside until ready to use in the gumbo (if not using immediately, the stock can be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-3 days).
• Make the Creole seasoning: In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano until well combined.
• Make the gumbo: Heat 6 tablespoons canola oil in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until faint wisps of white smoke come off the oil (if thicker, darker smoke appears, remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes). Add the okra and fry for 2 minutes, until army-green in color. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the okra to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving any remaining oil behind in the pot.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until faintly smoking again (do not let it overheat, or the flour will burn). Whisk in the flour to make a roux and cook, whisking constantly, until it turns a dark cocoa brown, 5-6 minutes. (If the roux is browning too quickly, remove the pot from the heat while continuing to stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.)
• Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and 2 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until onions have softened. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and remaining Creole seasoning.
• Increase the heat to medium-high heat. While whisking or stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, add the seafood gumbo stock, 4 cups at a time. Add the okra, smoked sausage, crabs, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, skimming off any foamy flour residue that rises to the surface. The gumbo should thicken and reduce by one quarter.
• Season the gumbo with the salt and pepper to taste, then add the shrimp. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the residual heat cook the shrimp for 10 minutes.
• Ladle the hot gumbo into bowls. Serve with rice and garnish with parsley, green onions, and filé powder, if using.
• It's important to properly cool and store leftover seafood gumbo, otherwise it will spoil. Fill a clean 2-liter bottle or plastic juice jug with water and freeze until solid. Once finished eating, place the ice bottle in the pot of gumbo and let cool, stirring occasionally to release heat. Transfer the gumbo to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. 11. The gumbo can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Enjoy!

QUICK AND EASY SAUSAGE AND CHICKEN GUMBO

Steps:

• Combine flour and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it forms a thick paste the consistency of cake frosting. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the flour turns dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. The darker the roux, the more depth of flavor, but don't burn it.
• Add onions, bell peppers, okra, celery, garlic, Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender, 3 to 6 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add unopened bag of rice and boil, uncovered, until rice is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove bag from water and drain. Cut open bag, pour rice into a bowl, and fluff.
• Stir chicken, kielbasa, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth into the cooked vegetables. Cook until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. Serve gumbo over warm rice.