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Let’s Make That Gumbo!

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Let’s Make That Gumbo!

Step 1  Preparation

Prep your vegetables and meats; set aside. Prep vinegar mixture; set aside. Have all ingredients and measuring spoons and cups needed arranged close at hand and set aside ready to be used when needed.  (If needed, do ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze if required.   Be sure to remove any items from freezer the day before actually making gumbo and transfer to refrigerator to thaw).  Preparation is the number one element to success with this recipe.

Don’t forget that you will need to fry up some bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage to acquire 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons grease or that you will need to do an overnight soak on your rice.

Step 2  Searing the Chicken

In large skillet sauté cubed chicken thighs in a little oil or butter — to prevent sticking and help with glazing/coating and browning — with a dash each of garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper, plus 2 tablespoon L&P Worcestershire sauce over medium heat just until outside is browned. Place in bowl and set aside.

You do not have to cook it all the way though.  At this point, we are just coating, flavoring, and searing the outside of the chicken. It will finish cooking in the gumbo.

Step 3   Preparing Savory Lard

In same skillet, reheat bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease.

In other words, you are using homemade lard but much more flavorful than store bought.  This is a very flavorful dish!

This is provided of course that you have already  fried up bacon or ground pork breakfast sausage — or both — and saved the grease previously.  If not,  then do so now keeping 3/4 cup of the grease in the skillet to use now and removing the rest.

Don’t have any bacon or ground pork sausage?    Well, you can technically use hydrogenated vegetable oil such as Crisco.  It will simply miss that extra flavor element added by using bacon and ground pork breakfast sausage grease,  but it won’t actually ruin the dish.

Step 4  Making and Savoring the Roux

Make a roux by whisking the flour, a dash of black pepper and salt, with 3/4 cup hot bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns dark; a sort of a brownish color.

Step 5

Stir the celery, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, the chicken you just seared,  and sliced smoky pork (andouille) sausage into the roux.

Step 6

Simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning the roux.   This step adds an additional layer of flavor to the roux.  Remove from heat, and set aside.

Step 7  Preparing  the Broth

Bring SIX CUPS of broth to a boil in a very large soup kitchen or canning sized pot.  I use a 20 quart sized water bath canning pot for anything exceeding the limit of my 8 quart Dutch oven pot.

If and as needed only, stir in additional broth throughout the remaining steps, but do so only 1/2 cup at a time then stir before adding another 1/2 cup, stir, and keep repeating until reaches the desired amount.    If you try to add too much all at once it can drastically decrease the cooking temperatures and take a long time to heat back up to a boil which will throw off your cooking times.

You may or may not need some or any/all of the “extra” broth but it is better to have plenty on stand by just in case.  This isn’t the sort of dish you can just drop everything and run to the store every time you turn around.   Make sure you have everything needed and in the quantities needed — plus extra “just in case” — especially the broth and seasonings.

NOTE:

If you feel comfortable enough to keep an eye on both Step 6 and Step 7 at the same time,  then it is helpful to start your broth once Step 6 has been initiated, since it takes a little time for it to come to a boil.  Otherwise, you may be standing around for a little while waiting thus learning why they say a watched pot never boils.

Otherwise, however, it is better to wait.   Avoid trying to be in too many places at the same time —  with one boiling over and then have the other burning up while you are already dealing with cleaning up that boiled over broth.

Multitasking in the kitchen comes with more and more experience and develops over time, usually without your even realizing it.  Until then, don’t try to bite off more than you can comfortably chew.    Even the most seasoned cooks including professional chefs make mistakes from time to time, however, and the key is simply to learn from every experience — good or bad — and,  NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Step 8

Stir your vegetable roux mixture into your boiling broth.  Then, immediately begin to whisk the roux into the boiling broth until combined and well incorporated.

Step 9  Initial Seasonings and Tomatoes

Reduce heat to low, and whisk (or stir) in the salt, granulated sugar,  Tiger or tobasco pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano, and powdered file.   Then stir in the diced fresh tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce.   You may safely leave to simmer on a low heat setting, uncovered, and move on to the next step.

Note:  While Tiger sauce has a slight sweetness and has additional layers of flavor,  it is actually spicier than tobasco but its spicy heat sneaks up in a delayed fashion so start with a small amount as you can always add more later if needed.  And wait for a minute after tasting before deciding whether to add more.

Step 10   Preparing the Okra

If you do not have another skillet, hand wash and dry the skillet used previously before continuing.

Melt 2 tablespoons of bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease in a clean skillet, add your okra and shredded carrots, drizzle on the vinegar mixture (give it a stir or whisk it first if needed),  then cook the okra and carrots with the vinegar mixture over medium heat for 15 minutes; stirring frequently.

Step 11

Remove okra and carrots with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.

Step 12  Simmering, Seasoning, Tasting, Adjusting

Continue to simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring briefly every 20 to 30 minutes. Throughout this stage you will want to taste test the broth often and adjust any of your seasonings if needed.

Step 13   The Rice

Stir in your wild or brown rice (that was soaked over night).

Forget to soak your rice?   No worries!    Just add an additional 15 to 20 minutes (plus or minus) to the time given in Step 12 or until tender.   See, it isn’t an unlucky Step 13 as you might have thought.   You’ve only added some extra cooking time.

This step is complete when the rice reaches the desired tenderness (which will simply occur more quickly if you remember to soak your rice overnight).

Step 14  Shelled Bivalves

If using bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters, cockles, or scallops) still in their shells you will need to add them now and cook until the shells have all popped open.   Do not proceed until the shells have all popped open! Or at least the majority, since on occasion a shell just won’t pop open.

Contrary to some old wives tales, this does not indicate a spoiled clam or oyster. Sometimes you just get a tight one that is locked down and refuses to open without some prying that, due to having an unusually smoother and cleaner shell rim, has managed to form a seal sort of like when the lids seal during water bath canning on jars.

However, if they have been removed from their shells then move on to the next step.

Step 15   Crustaceans and Unshelled Bivalves

After the gumbo has finished simmering and the rice is tender, and shells have popped open:

Mix in crawfish tails, shrimp, crab meat, unshelled bivalves , and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer for another 10 minutes or just until done.   Do not overcook!   Remove from heat.

Step 16   Sea Urchin Tongues On the Side

If plan to serve with sea urchin tongues on the side (plain or marinated), they should be prepared at this time.  I will not be going into detail on how to do that here, however, since it is not something readily available in the area I currently live (high plains desert region up in the mountains in a very small rural town) as they were once before when I lived elsewhere.  Details are on the recipe card, however, and I’m sure there are other blogs or websites, cookbooks, etc. in which to learn more.

If you have questions, however, email me at vintage2modernkitchen@gmail.com  and/or comment below.

And, YES, the spines are poisonous! But usually not fatal unless multiple deep and become infected. But they are PAINFUL! Wear gloves and be careful. If needed, use tweezers to remove spines, clean the area, and apply antibiotic ointment. Check with your doctor if any problems develop such as infection, allergic reaction, unrelieved pain, or the pain lasts more than three or four days.

Step 17

ENJOY!   Or if you are simply making it ahead then ladle into airtight containers for the freezer!

 

Print

Tam's Crawfish Gumbo

Start with 1 lb chicken, 1 lb sausage, and 1 lb crawfish (or shrimp) then add any combination desired up to a total of 1 to 3 lbs more of anything you want to add.

I like my gumbo with 1 lb chicken, 1 lb smoky pork sausage, and up to 4 lbs crawfish tails! My late husband insisted upon shrimp and scallops, Everyone had their own idea about what made the perfect gumbo. So depending upon who I was preparing it for,  I had to be pretty versatile.  

Author Tammy

Ingredients

Chicken Sear

  • 1 Tbsp butter or oil
  • dash each: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Lee and Perrins Worcesterchire sauce
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

Making and Savoring the Roux

  • 3/4 cups bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease
  • 1 cup flour
  • dash each: salt, pepper
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, thin slices or coarsely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, thin slices or coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup (about 3 medium stalks) celery, diagonally sliced
  • 2 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced

Broth

  • 12 cups --- use 6 cups beef broth (plus another 6 cups in reserve to add if and as needed 1/2 cup at a time)

Initial Seasonings and Tomatoes

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp powdered filé, or to taste
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp oregano, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend, or to taste (may use store bought or homemade blend)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Tiger or tobasco sauce, or to taste
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes or 2 cups homemade
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce or 1 cup homemade
  • 1 cup diced fresh Roma, Beefsteak, or Vintage Wine Heirloom tomatoes

Preparing the Okra

  • 2 Tbsp bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease
  • 1 lb fresh or frozen cut okra, thawed if frozen, sliced if fresh
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • vinegar mixture (see below); stir before using

Vinegar Mixture

  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Simmering, Seasoning, Tasting, Adjusting

  • as needed, all previous seasonings and hot pepper sauces

The Rice

  • 2 cups wild or brown rice, soaked overnight

Sausage, crawfish, other

  • 1 lb andouille sausage (smoked pork sausage), sliced
  • 1 lb crawfish tails
  • 1 to 3 lbs total: choice(s) of additional sausage, poultry, crawfish, shrimp, bivalves, lobster, or crabs

Optional: plain or marinated Sea urchin tongues (to be served on the side)

Instructions

Searing the Chicken

  1. In large skillet sauté cubed chicken thighs in a little oil or butter — to prevent sticking and help with glazing/coating and browning — with a dash each of garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper, plus 2 tablespoon L&P Worcestershire sauce over medium heat just until outside is browned. Place in bowl and set aside.

Preparing Savory Lard

  1. Fry bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage until you have 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of grease to use as directed. 

Making and Savoring the Roux

  1. Make a roux by whisking the flour, a dash of black pepper and salt, with 3/4 cup hot bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns dark; a sort of a brownish color
  2. Stir the celery, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, the chicken you just seared, and sliced smoky pork (andouille) sausage into the roux.
  3. Simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning the roux. This step adds an additional layer of flavor to the roux. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Preparing the Broth

  1. Bring SIX CUPS of broth to a boil in a very large soup kitchen or canning sized pot. I use a 20 quart sized water bath canning pot for anything potentially exceeding the limit of my 8 quart Dutch oven pot.

  2. NOTE: 

    If and as needed only, stir in additional broth throughout the remaining steps, but do so only 1/2 cup at a time then stir before adding another 1/2 cup, stir, and keep repeating until reaches the desired amount. If you try to add too much all at once it can drastically decrease the cooking temperatures and take a long time to heat back up to a boil which will throw off your cooking times.  You may or may not need some or any/all of the “extra” broth.

  3. Stir your vegetable roux mixture into your boiling broth. Then, immediately begin to whisk the roux into the boiling broth until combined and well incorporated.

Initial Seasonings and Tomatoes

  1. Reduce heat to low, and whisk (or stir) in the salt, granulated sugar, Tiger or tobasco pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano, and powdered file. Then stir in the diced fresh tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. You may safely leave to simmer on a low heat setting, uncovered, and move on to the next step.

Preparing the Okra

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of bacon and/or ground pork breakfast sausage grease in a clean skillet, add your okra and shredded carrots, drizzle on the vinegar mixture (give it a stir or whisk it first if needed), then cook the okra and carrots with the vinegar mixture over medium heat for 15 minutes; stirring frequently.
  2. Remove okra and carrots with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.

Simmering, Seasoning, Tasting, Adjusting

  1. Continue to simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring briefly every 20 to 30 minutes. Throughout this stage you will want to taste test the broth often and adjust any of your seasonings if needed.

The Rice

  1. Stir in your wild or brown rice (that was soaked over night).   If forgot to soak overnight, just continue to cook until rice is tender before proceeding. 

If Adding Shelled Bivalves

  1. If using bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters, cockles, or scallops) still in their shells you will need to add them now and cook until the shells have all popped open. Do not proceed until the shells have all popped open!  You may on occasion have a very few remain closed.   They are perfectly safe to eat!  They have just sealed as would a canning jar lid due to having an unusually smooth, clean shell rim.   

    However, if they have been removed from their shells then move on to the next step.

Crustaceans and Unshelled Bivalves

  1. After the gumbo has finished simmering and the rice is tender, and the shells have popped open:

    Mix in crawfish tails, shrimp, crab meat, unshelled bivalves , and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer for another 10 minutes or just until done. Do not overcook! Remove from heat

Sea Urchin Tongues

  1. If plan to serve with sea urchin tongues on the side (plain or marinated), they should be prepared at this time.
  2. Optional:

    Sea urchin or uni tongues (may be served at the last minute on top of individual servings or better yet on the side). They may be purchased in a tub ready to go or will be need to be prepared.  Fresh is best and it should smell of ocean or sea water and not fishy.

    To prepare fresh:   Wearing clean protective gloves, cut open with clean scissors and scoop out the tongues with a grapefruit spoon.  IMMEDIATELY rinse in cool, running tap water to remove any guts (the disgusting black stuff). It's a messy job and it can cause stains so avoid using your 'good' towels for clean up and wear old clothes. Outdoors with a water hose, paper towels,  buckets or bowls is recommended.   Place them in lightly salted water as soon as they are rinsed and keep them there until ready to serve or ready to marinade and serve.  

    May be served 'as is' or marinated. For best results, time it so they come out of the marinade when you are actually ready to serve.

    Tam's Simple Uni Marinade (for approximately 3 dozen tongues):

    Whisk together 4 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, a small pinch or dash of Cajun seasoning blend. Toss tongues together with marinade and allow to sit about 5 or 6 minutes to no longer than 30 minutes tops before serving. 

    You may also use your own preference of seasonings for the marinade and add a splash of wine or sherry.  The formula is simple:  2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon or lime juice plus seasonings and an optional splash

 

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About Me

Hi, I'm Tammy!

I live in Idaho but I am a southerner and moved here for career reasons in 2000. However, I am now a retired widow and have lots of time to focus on what makes me happiest -- cooking, sharing recipes, as well as teaching and sharing with others what I know about cooking and nutrition.

I don't claim to know everything there is to know about cooking and I'm not a chef, although I do know a few and helped them out from time to time and my late husband was a trained cook and baker as well as a master at smoking meats and making BBQ, and I have studied nutrition at two colleges and one university along with other degrees. I like cooking from scratch and recipes made with prepackaged items are the exception rather than the norm.

However, being disabled, I have good days and bad days so I do use what I call "cheats" on occasion. For the most part though I've learned to pace myself and with a little preplanning I manage to do the prep one day and the cooking the next so the cheats still don't happen very often.

I have an enormous collection of recipes dating from the 1700s to the present (hence, vintage to modern). Because of my late husband's health issues I also have many diabetic and heart healthy recipes or my recipes often include substitutions along with the regular ingredients.

I do just about everything when it comes to cooking so other than predominantly scratch cooking, I don't really have a set focus on any particular cuisine. I even make a few cheeses, canning, homemade ginger ale, candies and confections, and the list goes on. If there is a recipe for something you'd like to see just leave a comment or write to me at: vintage2modernkitchen@gmail.com

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