Gumbo with Andouille Sausage, Hen, and Seafood –

Gumbo is a Louisiana stew that’s full of juicy sausage, hen, and two kinds of seafood- swimming in a thick broth you can drink by itself. A portion of rice or potato salad, sure, potato salad, is the one accompaniment you want right here. Do crackers and tabasco additionally work? Sure. However that’s a private desire. This Gumbo recipe will probably be a “hit ’em fast and quick” one as a result of it’s fairly intensive. Don’t let that discourage you. The method isn’t overly difficult, nevertheless it takes a little bit time, as do all consolation meals recipes. 

Each the roux and the hen and seafood inventory that kind the gumbo base could be made forward of time and frozen. Doing so will reduce your workday in half. 

What’s Gumbo?

Gumbo is a deeply-flavored stew of proteins- primarily poultry and/or seafood with chunks of sausage- fragrant veggies, and a thickener. What that thickener is varies relying on the place within the area you’re from and your loved ones’s specific recipe. I’m a Black and Puerto Rican lady from the Northeastern U.S., so I take advantage of each thickening agent you’ll be able to. Although I’m not a Louisiana native, I’ve been advised I make a imply pot of gumbo. My gumbo recipe is the star of each Mardi Gras.

Creole and Cajun types of the dish alter the elements solely barely. Tomatoes are a decidedly Creole ingredient per my very Cajun good friend, John. So, between that and the okra and seafood, mine comprises, I’m going to say it’s extra a Creole gumbo.

For me, there’s not sufficient of a distinction to permit me to decide to naming my gumbo recipe one or the opposite. I feel it is advisable to style it, so that you don’t care, too.

The place does Gumbo originate?

Gumbo is the official dish of Louisiana. Although it hails from LA, Mississippians are simply as obsessed with it. I bear in mind sitting round a desk with my mates, each from Biloxi, and having impassioned discussions about what gumbo ought to or shouldn’t be.

Gumbo is a growth of the combo of cultures that descended upon Louisiana’s port earlier than, and all through, its historical past as a state. African slaves introduced the okra. If you happen to’re a Spanish speaker, you already know the phrase for okra is quingambó or guingombó. The phrase is African in origin and sounds a heck of so much like “gumbo,” so I’m going to imagine the stew received its identify from there. I’m not a culinary anthropologist, although, so when you have perception, I’d love to listen to from you.

Greater than probably, the residents of the state mixed stewing strategies from their international locations of origin. Gumbo was born from taking these strategies and the obtainable elements of their new homeland. It has since morphed into the gem of the U.S. that we now know and love.

What are the commonest kinds of Gumbo?

The most typical kinds of gumbo are poultry, seafood, or a mix of the 2. Sausage appears to make its means into each poultry and seafood gumbos. Andouille is essentially the most used sausage kind in gumbos. 

The kind of thickener additionally adjustments from household to household. Once more, filé is a basic thickener, often added on the very finish of the cooking course of. A darkish “chocolate” roux is one other frequent solution to thicken the stew. It takes some finesse to excellent the chocolate roux, nevertheless it’s not a very troublesome ability to grasp. Lastly, okra could be a thickener in your gumbo if you happen to’re a fan of it. Okra is one among my least favourite meals, however in gumbo, I’m okay with it. 

Tomato-based vs. tomatoless is one other means gumbo could be ready. I’m a fan of the acidity tomatoes convey to a pot of gumbo. 

Most gumbo recipes take hours to arrange. I’m over like, “I NEED GUMBO NOW!!” So I’ve developed, what I feel, is a extra streamlined course of.

How do I make my Gumbo flavorful?

In case your gumbo isn’t flavorful, you would possibly as effectively step out of the kitchen. What impressed me to develop this recipe- in addition to greed- was tasting a downright trashy bowl of “gumbo” at a neighborhood restaurant. Once I say this factor was a humiliation to Louisiana cooking, I’m not exaggerating. 

Your gumbo should start with a flavorful roux and an much more flavorful inventory. There’s no different possibility. I dislike most gumbo recipes as a result of they go away the shells on, each the shrimp and the crab used within the recipe. 

Why, although?!?! Who, of their proper thoughts, after standing over a pot of gumbo and rising hungrier by the minute, needs to wrestle a shell off a scaldingly sizzling shrimp? Not I. No, thanks very a lot. 

As a substitute, I need to take away the shells from each the shrimp and the crab and use them to my benefit. As a result of I’m additionally utilizing hen thighs in my recipe, I take the pores and skin and bones from them so as to add even extra taste to my inventory. 

Along with the shells from the seafood and the bones and pores and skin from the hen, the inventory wants the scraps from the stew’s veggies (plus a little bit extra onion), a head of garlic reduce in half, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves. This chicken-seafood inventory goes to be our base.  

Most gumbos take so lengthy to cook dinner as a result of the cook dinner needs to extract the flavors of the elements into the inventory. We reduce down about an hour and a half of the cooking time by making a chicken-seafood inventory, to start with.

What different kinds of seafood can I take advantage of?

You don’t have to stay to solely crab and shrimp. In reality, you’ll be able to omit the hen and create a seafood gumbo by including crawfish and oysters. I’ve even seen catfish added. I’m not a fan, however attempt it and see what you suppose. 

As a result of crab and shrimp are available and don’t require purging or intense shucking like crawfish and oysters, I’m pleased with the 2 of them. 

To make the inventory, shell the shrimp. I favor to make use of shrimp from the Gulf in my recipe, which I purchase frozen and deveined. Nobody needs to take care of deveining shrimp in the event that they don’t should. You should purchase them contemporary, however frozen is extra handy for me. I go away them to thaw within the fridge in a single day, and the following day I rinse them rather well underneath chilly, working water. The important thing with shrimp is to rinse them in chilly water till they not foam. 

Pinch the tail proper the place the flippers meet the meat. When you separate the tail from the physique, pinch the shell’s underside (the place the swimmerets are) and pull the skinny shell away from the physique. 

Throw all the shrimp shells you take away into a big stockpot.

What’s the best solution to extract crab meat?

I spent a truthful quantity of my life residing in Maryland, which is thought for its love of crab. I even labored in a crab home from the ages of 13-15. Crabs are issues I learn about. Maryland is thought for its blue crab, however they’re so small and require an excessive amount of effort to extract the meat. As a substitute, I favor the flavour and measurement (and value) of Dungeness or snow crab. Dungeness crab shouldn’t be as candy as snow crab, and it’s not as costly as king crab. Snow crab is a superb possibility, too.

The simplest solution to extract the meat of any crab is to separate the person legs from the cluster. Subsequent, separate the segments of the legs on the knuckles or joints. This frees the meat inside up, which makes it come out simpler.

Crack the segments of the crab legs together with your arms, kitchen shears, or a crab cracker. Pull the meat out, leaving it intact as a lot as you can- you need chunks of crabmeat. Don’t neglect to extract the meat from the white skeletal-like part that holds the cluster collectively.  

Put the meat in a dish and refrigerate it till later and add the shells to the pot with the shrimp shells.

Debone and pores and skin the hen thighs and add the hen bones and pores and skin into the pot as effectively. You can too skip the boning and skinning of the thighs and boneless skinless hen thighs as an alternative. If you happen to do that, substitute the water developing with hen inventory.

Can I take advantage of canned crab as an alternative?

Sure, you need to use canned crab as an alternative of contemporary. I imply, “contemporary crab legs” is a relative time period as a result of they’ve been cooked to make them protected for transport.

I don’t like to make use of canned crab meat as a result of it by no means is available in huge chunks like I get once I extract the meat myself. You additionally miss out on the power to make use of the shells on your inventory. You continue to have to choose by the crab meat to eliminate any shells that will have discovered their means into the meat. So, I feel extracting the meat from the legs is about the identical quantity of effort with extra return on taste.

How lengthy do I’ve to simmer the seafood inventory?

Add the trimmings from the veggies you’re going to make use of within the gumbo recipe later to the pot. Throw in an extra onion and a reduce head of garlic. Don’t fear about peeling veggies used for this inventory. You’re going to pressure it, so don’t do the additional work. Rinse them and reduce them in half to reveal the flavorful inside. Add the spices and bay leaves to the pot as effectively.

Cowl the shells, bones, and pores and skin within the pot with chilly, filtered (if attainable) water. Filtered water has much less sediment, which makes your inventory clearer.

Deliver the water within the pot as much as a boil over medium-high warmth. Enable the inventory to boil for 10 minutes. Scum will rise to the floor of the inventory. Use a big spoon to skim that gray foam off the floor and reduce the range’s temp to medium-low.

Enable the inventory to simmer for one more 45 minutes to 1 hour. Seafood inventory doesn’t want lengthy for its taste to develop, however the hen bones do. Consequently, we’re going to simmer it for a minimum of 1 hour in all.  

Can I make the inventory forward?

As soon as the inventory has simmered, pressure it by a cloth-lined strainer into a bigger bowl or container. You now have a daring inventory that can taste your gumbo like no different. 

This chicken-seafood inventory could be made as much as six months forward! You may prep the veggies for the gumbo and freeze them to get the trimmings, or you’ll be able to simply chop up ones to make use of for the inventory. Simply cool the inventory and switch it to freezer-safe containers. 

Take a day to make this chicken-seafood inventory, and your work on the gumbo-making day has simply decreased by an hour and a half. 

Now, if you happen to don’t need to take care of making your stock- boooooo– you’ll be able to choose up a carton or two of seafood inventory and hen inventory from the shop and use that within the gumbo as an alternative.

What fats is the perfect for making a roux?

Southerners, particularly, are obsessed with their roux. A roux is a thickening agent constituted of all-purpose or cake flour and a fats of some variety. The 2 are stirred collectively to kind a paste, then slowly cooked to various levels of coloration. The darker the roux, the extra flavorful it’s, but in addition the much less it thickens the recipe it’s utilized in. The roux for gumbo falls within the vary of chocolate to darkish. 

Lard is my most well-liked fats to make use of when making a roux to be used in my gumbo. As a result of it has a excessive smoke level, I don’t should babysit my roux as a lot as once I use butter, which has a a lot decrease smoke level. Most individuals use oil (canola, peanut, or vegetable) to make their roux, however I feel it’s a missed taste alternative. Oil simply doesn’t contribute something to the dish. However be happy to make use of it if you happen to don’t really feel like grabbing lard simply to make use of right here. 

Select lard that’s rendered effectively, although. You don’t need lard with tons of impurities in it as a result of that can trigger your roux to tackle a bizarre taste. 

Soften the lard over medium warmth in a cast-iron skillet.

You may’t rush a darkish roux by blasting it with warmth. What you’re doing whenever you make a roux is cooking the flour within the paste to various levels of toastiness. It has to occur step by step, otherwise you’re going to scorch the flour and burn your roux.

Why does the flour foam up once I’m making a roux?

As soon as the lard melts, sprinkle the all-purpose flour over it. Use a whisk or a spatula to stir the 2 collectively to create a paste.

The roux goes to foam up whenever you begin the roux. That’s completely regular. All that’s occurring is the new lard frying that flour. As you stir and warmth the flour, the froth will dissipate. Proceed to stir, cooking the roux, because it develops in taste and darkens in coloration.

How lengthy does it take to make a chocolate roux?

My Earlywood spatula is my “roux spatula” as a result of it’s light-weight, will get into the corners of my skillet, and is a superb indicator that my roux has reached its optimum coloration.

It usually takes a roux 10 minutes to go from totally different levels. As a result of we’d like a darkish roux so as to add coloration and taste to our gumbo, we’re going to spend about 40-50 minutes cooking our roux. If you happen to really feel assured sufficient in your stirring quickness, you’ll be able to crank the warmth up barely and cook dinner it quicker. You’re going to should stir continuous, although. 

As a substitute of overworking myself, I favor to maintain the warmth on medium and stir for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, I go away the roux to cook dinner for two minutes, then stir once more for 30 seconds. I repeat this technique because the roux grows darker and smells nuttier.

Attempt to hold it on the darker coloration within the backside proper picture. You may go a shade darker, however be aware you don’t go too darkish, or your roux will style burnt.

Can I make the roux forward?

You may most actually make your roux forward of time- a day or two- and retailer it within the fridge. I’ve frozen my roux however because the darker the roux, the decrease its thickening energy, I attempt to keep away from freezing it as a result of doing so additionally decreases its thickening energy. If you happen to select to freeze it, solely achieve this for two months. Thaw it within the fridge till gentle earlier than utilizing it.

As soon as your roux has reached a chocolatey-brown coloration, set it to the aspect and permit it cool when you start the principle occasion. The roux ought to resemble a thick paste. Among the lard could or could not separate because it sits. If it does, simply whisk it collectively simply earlier than including it to the pot.

What do I have to make the Gumbo?

The elements to make the precise gumbo are fairly simple to prep. In fact, the trinity- inexperienced bell pepper, celery, and onions- makes an look. I add garlic as a result of I’ve to make use of garlic in every thing. You additionally want okra, gumbo filé, bay leaves, thyme leaves (not pictured), tomato paste, the shelled seafood, hen thighs (seasoned with creole seasoning), and sliced andouille sausage. 

You want a big stockpot for this recipe. If you happen to made the inventory the identical day, don’t even hassle washing it. Simply rinse out any shells and plop it on the range. You’ll additionally want a whisk and a mixing bowl for the filé later.

Can I substitute the pork andouille?

Hen andouille sausage can substitute the pork sausage on this recipe. Simply slice it the identical means.

Warmth only a tablespoon in a stockpot over medium warmth. Keep away from including an excessive amount of fats, otherwise you’ll have to skim it off of the gumbo later. Add the items of seasoned hen thighs and brown them within the fats for 3-4 minutes. Subsequent, add the andouille to the pot and brown it for 2-3 minutes. Although the sausage is already cooked, you do need to give it some coloration. The hen simply must brown however will end cooking by within the inventory later. Switch each the hen and sausage to a platter. You don’t need to proceed cooking it proper now, or it’ll be powerful.

Take away all however a tablespoon of the fats from the pot.

Add the holy trinity and garlic to the oil within the backside of the pot. Cook dinner these down for 10 minutes, or till they start to melt significantly.

Stir within the tomato paste till it’s mixed with the veggies.

How do I keep away from clumps of roux in my Gumbo?

Add all the roux to the pot and stir it into the remainder of the elements.

To keep away from your roux from clumping as you add the liquid, solely add the inventory by the ladleful (or a cup at a time). Stir consistently as you add the inventory, and your gravy will probably be as easy as silk. Add the remaining inventory to the pot together with the thyme and bay leaves, stirring to mix. The liquid could foam up because the flour in roux heats up however will dissipate as you stir and cook dinner it.

Deliver the liquid as much as a delicate boil, skimming off any extra oil, which can seem as darkish spots on the floor of the liquid. As soon as it involves a boil, scale back the warmth to medium-low and return the hen and sausage to the pot. Simmer the gumbo for Half-hour.

Can I take advantage of contemporary okra?

I don’t hassle with contemporary okra as a result of it’s not all the time as simple to seek out as frozen is. Frozen additionally requires much less prep. As a result of frozen okra is blanched earlier than being frozen, you’ll be able to add the okra straight to the pot of gumbo with out pre-cooking it.

With contemporary, it is advisable to blanch it in a cup of water to take away a few of its sliminess. You gained’t eliminate all of it due to its organic make-up, however that’s okay. Bear in mind, that “sliminess” will assist thicken the gumbo in a while.

Whichever you resolve to go along with, add the okra to the pot after the gumbo has simmered for Half-hour. Proceed to cook dinner the stew for quarter-hour.

How lengthy do I’ve to cook dinner the seafood?

Bear in mind, the crab is already cooked, however the shrimp isn’t. As a result of shrimp shouldn’t be cooked for a very long time (it turns into powerful), you’re going so as to add the seafood on the very finish of cooking.

Rigorously decrease it into the pot and permit it to cook dinner for less than 5 minutes. Add just a few dashes of tabasco sauce and switch the warmth off.

What’s gumbo filé?

Gumbo filé, or just filé, is the bottom leaves of the sassafras tree. If you happen to like root beer, you want sassafras as a result of that’s what root beer was first made with.

Indigenous Individuals launched us to the leaves as a pure thickening and flavoring agent. You don’t want to make use of filé in your gumbo, however I’ve heard it’s not an genuine gumbo with out it. You will discover gumbo filé within the spice aisle subsequent to the cajun or creole spice blends.

What does the filé do and why is it so slimy?

The filé is the ultimate thickener added to our gumbo. The explanation why it’s so slimy is identical motive why the okra is: mucilage. I really had the twins do the chemistry analysis as a result of I received my diploma and don’t want any mo’ faculty. Mucilage is a bipolymer that protects the plant and leaves from injury and helps it retailer water. Clearly, it’s not dangerous since I’m telling you so as to add it to the gumbo, nevertheless it doesn’t look that engaging both.

It seems to be like snot. I’m sorry, nevertheless it does. This step is completely optionally available. The gumbo is thick as is, however if you happen to favor the flavour or thickness of the filé you’ll be able to add it. 

Add the filé to a mixing bowl and use a small whisk to mix it with chilly water. The filé will thicken shortly, so whisk it into the gumbo as quickly because it begins to. A few of it might lump, however the extra you stir it, the higher it can mix. 

You can too sprinkle the filé onto the gumbo’s floor within the pot and stir it in, however that leaves extra clump21s. You can too go away the filé on the aspect and let your diners sprinkle theirs on to go well with their tastes. Omitting the filé altogether is okay, too, however your gumbo gained’t be as thick.

How do I serve the Gumbo?

All that’s left is to ladle your Gumbo right into a bowl with a serving of rice Steamed White Rice. Garnish the servings with chopped parsley or inexperienced onions or go away it plain. 

My bowl of gumbo is all the time accompanied by just a few dashes of tabasco and saltine crackers. I’ve heard story that some Cajuns wish to serve their gumbo with potato salad. I attempted it the final time I made this gumbo, and the Cajuns know what the hell they’re doing. 

You can too serve your gumbo with sliced bread.

Can I go away it on the stovetop after it’s completed cooking?

The choosy factor about gumbo is that it doesn’t maintain effectively at room temperature as chili does. With all the seafood and the gumbo filé in it, it can spoil shortly if not noted too lengthy.

Go forward and serve what you’re going to eat and pack up the remainder.

How do I retailer it?

Retailer the gumbo in a meals storage container for 3 days. Once more, solely portion out warmth up what you’re going to eat then. You need to hold the gumbo refrigerated to increase its lifetime. 

You’ll want to reheat the leftovers completely, both within the microwave or on the stovetop. After 3 days, it is advisable to chuck it. I don’t suppose it’ll come to that, although. It’s simple to kill an entire batch of this gumbo.

Can I freeze ready Gumbo?

Sure! I really freeze my gumbo typically. Although, it rarely lasts lengthy sufficient to see the within of the freezer.

Simply permit the gumbo to chill a little bit, then pack it into freezer storage containers. Freeze the gumbo for 3 months. Thaw it underneath refrigeration and reheat it on the stovetop or within the microwave till steaming sizzling.

You’ll want to pin this Gumbo recipe to your stews board. Share together with your family and friends too!