Appetite for Knowledge

Gumbo isn’t that just Jambalaya? Gumbo is not the same as Jambalaya, the main difference is the use of rice in each dish. Gumbo is a soup or stew over rice while Jambalaya is cooked with the rice in the dish. Gumbo should be less rice than liquid and Jambalaya should not be mushy or liquid.

Gumbo is a Cajun and Creole specialty throughout the state of Louisiana. Gumbo is a stew made from seafood, meat, or vegetables that is served over hot rice. It can be made thicker with okra, filé, or a roux. The best part about Gumbo is that it can be made with an almost endless mix of proteins. 

Types of Gumbo

Gumbo can feed a crowd and will have both meat and seafood. The meat can include chicken and sausage and their drippings, as well as shrimp. Gumbo can use filé, which is made from dried and ground sassafras tree leaves; it will thicken and season at the same time.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo is made with a roux that uses andouille sausage and chicken drippings until it is a dark brown color. Roux is a mixture of equal parts of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. It then cooks down with the mirepoix, okra, and garlic. This helps to achieve a balance between flavor and thickening agent.

Vegetable Gumbo is made with black-eyed peas and kale. It also contains soy sauce, smoked paprika, and the holy trinity (onions, green peppers, and celery).

Pulled Chicken Gumbo is made with chicken drippings mixed with flour to make a dark roux. This gives a savory, toasty flavor and a cream texture. When the roux starts to smell like roasted peanuts you know you have cooked it long enough. Be patient, this could take up to 15 minutes.

Ways to Cook Gumbo

Big Batch Andouille Gumbo is one that you can freeze the extra into easy-to-thaw servings and it features andouille sausage and uses okra to thicken it.

Slow-Cooker Freezer Pack Gumbo is a short-cut gumbo recipe that avoids the roux step (that can be time-consuming) and uses a small bit of rice to thicken that stew as it cooks low and slow with a Cajun spice blend. It can be served over rice or with a crusty bread.

Ten Commandments of Gumbo

What goes into a gumbo varies as much as the cook making it, but there are a few rules to keep in mind.

1. Thou Shalt Never Use Tomatoes. Gumbo is roux-based and not tomato-based. Cajun gumbo does not include tomatoes in the base, but Creole gumbo does call for tomatoes.
2. Thou Shalt Not Use Un-Cajun Sausage. Brands like Savoie’s, Richards, or anything that ends in “eaux” are good to use.
3. Thou Shalt Not Use Store-Bought Roux. Don’t be lazy stand at the stove and stir the flour/ oil until it is perfectly brown.
4. Thou Shalt Always Use a Bowl. If you use a plate, it is not gumbo it is rice and gravy!
5. Thou Shalt Only Use a Wooden Spoon. There is only one kind of spoon that can enter a gumbo pot and that is a wooden one.
6. Thou Shalt Adhere to the “Gumbo-to-Rice” Ratio. This means 2 parts gumbo to 1 part rice.
7. Thou Shalt Always Keep Filé in Ya Cabinet.
8. Thou Shalt Not Mix Chicken & Sausage with Seafood. There is Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and there is Seafood Gumbo. Leave them separate. 
9. Thou Shalt Never Tell People Where the Potato Salad Goes. This is a personal choice, leave this discussion out of the kitchen.
10. Though Shalt Always Stir Your Gumbo Counter-Clockwise. It is said if you stir your gumbo counterclockwise you will have a quiet hurricane season.

The flavors in gumbo are nothing short of incredible! This heartwarming staple is the epitome of comfort food. Find a gumbo recipe to create a perfect, cozy weeknight or special occasion meal!

Cajun Gumbo (try this if you dare…)

8 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion
3 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch fresh parsley (optional)
2 to 3 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning, divided
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more as needed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 1 rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
14 ounces andouille sausage
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided
6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature
2 teaspoons filé powder (optional)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For serving:
1/2 bunch medium scallions
3 cups cooked white rice
Hot sauce

Directions:

1. Cut the vegetables: Prepare the following, placing each in the same medium bowl as you complete it: Trim and dice 1 medium green bell pepper (1 1/2 cups), 1 medium yellow onion (1 3/4 cups), and 3 celery stalks (1 1/2 cups).
2. Prepare the remaining aromatics: Prepare the following, placing each in the same small bowl as you complete it: Mince 6 garlic cloves; coarsely chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, if using, until you have about 1/2 cup; add 2 tablespoons of the salt-free Cajun seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; stir to combine.
3. Cut the chicken: If using raw chicken, dice 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. If using rotisserie chicken, pick the meat and shred (about 4 cups); discard the skin and bones. (No need to season the rotisserie chicken meat.)
4. Cook the sausage: Cut 14 ounces andouille sausage crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Cook in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned all over and releases its fat, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
5. Brown the chicken: If using raw chicken, add 1 tablespoon of the neutral cooking oil and the chicken to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the plate of sausage. (Skip this step if using rotisserie chicken.)
6. Cook the roux: Reduce the heat to medium. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, the remaining 1/4 cup neutral oil, and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon, until the roux resembles the color and texture of melted milk chocolate, 10 to 20 minutes. It will go from smelling like flour to toasted popcorn to nutty coffee. Don’t turn your back on the roux or it will burn!
7. Add the aromatics and meat: Increase the heat to medium-high and add bell pepper mixture. Stir to coat in the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and return the sausage and chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Simmer: Add 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the gumbo is thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1/2 bunch scallions and cook white rice for serving if desired.

Serve: Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. (You’ll likely need to add more salt if starting with rotisserie chicken.) The gumbo can be served immediately or the day after (which is when it tastes best). Serve with a scoop of cooked white rice, scallions, a dash of Crystal hot sauce, and filé powder as desired. Filé powder adds herbal notes and thickens the gumbo a bit.

Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator

Sources:

• www.emerils.com
• www.foodnetwork.com
• www.episcopalplace.org

Recipe Source:

https://www.thekitchn.com/gumbo-recipe-23255645