Traditional? Since every family has their own take on things, consider this one ours. Particularly since we not only put our own spin on everything we do but tweak it slightly differently every time we make it. We hope you like it as much as we do and find a way to make it your way.
Gumbo
Ingredients
Araomatics
- 2 onions, large yellow
- 2-3 bell peppers
- 6-8 ribs celery
- 1-2 hear garlic
- 20 fresh chiles, carolina reaper
- 10 fresh chiles, ghost pepper
- salt
- black pepper, ground
- thyme, ground
- oregano, ground
- cayenne, ground
- ancho, ground
- "cajun seasons"
- 4 Bay leaves
Meat
- 4 lbs sausage, andouille
- 3 lbs chicken
- 6 duck legs
- 2 smoked turkey legs
- other meats, rabbit/etc
Roux
- 2 cups flour, all-purpose
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil
Body and Thickeners
- 3 lbs okra, sliced
- 109 oz tomatoes, petit diced (#10 can)
- 1.5 lbs kale, chopped
Instructions
Aromatics
- Dice all of the larger vegetation
- Finely chop the chiles, but set aside ⅔ of them for later
- Combine all aromatics not set aside in large pot and saute
Meat
- Add all of the meat, whole, and the chicken stock
- Simmer for 2-3 hours, until the meats have cooked and are tender that the bones can be separated and discarded
Roux
- Combine flour and oil in large cast iron skillet or pot
- Cook either on stove-top on medium (stirring constantly for 45-60 minutes) or in 350-degree oven (stirring every 20 minutes in the beginning and every 10 minutes at the end for 1.5-2 hours)
- The darker the roux (before burning) the better the flavor but the less thickening
Finishing and thickening
- Add all finishing ingredients
- Simmer until all ingredients are back up to temperature
- Taste and adjust spice mix as desired
- Add the roux and simmer while it blends and thickens
- Taste and make any final spice adjustments, let simmer on low while
Part 1: Sautee:
- 2 large yellow onions
- 2 – 3 bell peppers
- 6 – 8 ribs of celery (or more)
- carrots (equivalent volume to bell peppers, optional but recommended if using very earthy chilies)
- 1 – 2 heads garlic
- as many very hot chilies as you can stand (ghost chilie, carolina reaper, etc. We should have used more, 10 or so.)
- Seasonings: a little salt, lots of black pepper, thyme, oregano, cayenne, ancho, “cajun seasonings”)
Part 2: Add about 10 lbs meat
- 4 lbs sausage
- 3 lbs chicken
- 6 duck legs
- anything else (rabbit, turkey leg, etc.)
- add enough chicken stock to cover, plus a couple of bay leaves
Simmer for a couple of hours. Remove meat and start the roux (Part 3) – In a cast iron or similar pot, combine 1.5 cups flour and a little less than 1.5 cups vegetable. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes until it begins to get dark. Then stir every 10 minutes until it is slightly darker th
Simmer for a couple of hours. Remove meat and start the roux (Part 3) – In a cast iron or similar pot, combine 1.5 cups flour and a little less than 1.5 cups vegetable. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes until it begins to get dark. Then stir every 10 minutes until it is slightly darker than peanut butter.
When the meat is cool enough, shred or chop.
Part 3: Once the meat has cooled (an hour or so), chop or shred and return to the pot, along with:
- 3 lbs (2 large bags) frozen okra
- 1.5 lbs (2 bags) kale, fresh or frozen
- #10 can diced or petit diced tomatoes
Simmer, adjust seasonings to taste. Add roux when finished and adjust seasonings again.
Consume with rice and your favorite hot sauce.
