Featured Recipe
Chicken And Andouille Gumbo
By Kate
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Deep roux rich with toasted nutty flavor, browned sausage, tender chicken, and fresh veggies meld under a slow simmer. Dark brown roux builds the backbone; aromatics soften till translucent and fragrant. Stock boosted with thyme, bay leaves, Creole seasoning gives earth and spice. Okra thickens gently without slime if watched right. Sausage renders savory fat; chicken added late to keep texture. Cook long enough to deepen flavor, skim grease for clarity. Serve over hot white rice; green onions and hot sauce finish boldly. Technique matters: slow patience and watching instead of timers. Substitutions for oil, sausage, aromatics given for flexibility; avoid burned roux unless you want acrid bitterness.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
10 servings
Cajun
comfort food
southern recipes
Introduction
Gumbo’s more about watching and waiting than rushing. The roux is the soul—too light and there’s no depth; too dark and bitterness ruins it. Oven method frees you from constant stirring but requires babysitting for color changes; stove method demands patience and vigilance. Aromatics soften slow, releasing sweetness that lifts the heavy roux. Chicken stock bathes everything in comfort. Adding sausage early burns the fat layer in; brown it separately for clean meat flavor and rendered oil to stir in. Okra thickens without slime if added late and simmered gently. A slow simmer brings all flavors together. No need to stress on exact times—watch texture, aroma, and color. Good gumbo doesn’t happen fast. No shortcuts here. Let the kitchen smell guide you.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Flour and oil form the base — vegetable or peanut oil works well. Peanut oil adds nuttiness but watch allergies. Andouille sausage is traditional, but smoked chorizo or kielbasa can stand in for similar smoky spice. Chicken can be from roasting, poaching, or store-bought rotisserie—ensure it’s shredded, not diced, for best mouthfeel. Fresh okra optional; frozen works fine but add it later to avoid sliminess. Creole seasoning brands vary—adjust according to salt/spice levels. Stock homemade or store-bought works, low sodium preferable for better control. Bay leaves and thyme bring aromatic depth; dried thyme is fine if fresh unavailable. Garlic brightens; don’t skip or substitute with powdered. Vegetables equal parts diced celery, onions, and bell pepper—The Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking—are crucial for layering flavor.
Method
Make The Roux
- Option 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix 1 cup flour and 1 cup oil in large oven-safe heavy pot. Bake uncovered 2 to 4 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times. Look for rich milk chocolate color, deep but not scorched. Time varies with oven and pan. A reader once got it done in 50 mins. Once roux looks right, move on.
- Option 2: On stovetop over medium-low, combine flour and oil in heavy large Dutch oven. Stir almost constantly scraping bottom with flat wooden spatula or gumbo paddle, pulling up the flour bits. Slow steady stirring prevents burning. Aim for milk chocolate brown, not black. Takes 30 to 65 minutes. Burnt roux tastes bitter beyond redemption. If black flecks show, taste before continuing. Restart if burnt.
- Put pot with roux over medium heat. Add diced celery, onions, and bell peppers. Cook stirring often 8 to 12 minutes till veggies soften, onions translucent with slight sheen. The smell should lift, slightly sweet and savory.
- Add minced garlic and 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning. Stir 1 minute until fragrant but not burnt.
- Slowly pour in 6 ½ cups chicken broth, stir well pulling up any roux bits from bottom. Add bay leaves and thyme. Season with salt, pepper, and extra Creole seasoning to taste—better to under-season now and adjust later. Bring to steady boil, then reduce to low simmer uncovered. Cook 40 to 50 minutes. Look for slight thickening. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices; brown edges crisp, rendered fat pools. Remove and set aside.
- Once gumbo base simmers and thickens, stir in browned sausage and shredded chicken. Add sliced okra last; cook uncovered additional 30 to 40 minutes. Notice gumbo texture thicken without turning slimy — a fine line to watch.
- If too thick, swirl in more broth to loosen. Skim any excess grease floating on top before serving. Remove bay leaves.
- Ladle hot gumbo over freshly cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and a few dashes of hot sauce if you like heat. Spoon up with confidence.
Sauté Aromatics
Introduce Stock
Brown Sausage Separately
Final Assembly
Serve
Technique Tips
Roux color dictates flavor—aim for medium milk chocolate shade for balanced nuttiness; lighter means weaker flavor, darker usually spells burned bitterness. Stir constantly on stovetop to avoid scorching—scrape bottom thoroughly. Oven option frees hands but requires checking for visual clues every 30 minutes or so. Don’t rush this. When cooking aromatics, watch for translucent onions and softened bell peppers—no browning yet. Garlic added last to prevent burning, just until aromatic. Add stock carefully, stirring to suspend roux bits and prevent lumps. Simmer uncovered lowers and thickens sauce but watch evaporation—add broth if drying out too fast. Browning sausage separately ensures Maillard flavor without greasiness in pot. Add okra last. Overcooking okra ruins texture and releases slime. Final simmer melds flavors; skim fat for cleaner finish. Taste multiple times for seasoning tweaks. Serve piping hot over fluffy white rice; garnish for brightness and heat.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Make roux properly. Color is crucial. Aim for deep milk chocolate without burns. Oven option frees hands but check. Stirding on stovetop? Keep scraping bottom. Burnt means bitter. Don’t skip patience.
- 💡 Saute vegetables in roux after. Don’t brown onions too much. Translucent is key. Smell the sweetness. Garlic last adds brightness. Stir for fragrance. Overdone garlic equals burnt.
- 💡 Use low-sodium chicken broth for flavor control. Adjust salt later. Add thyme and bay leaves earlier. Allow them to infuse fully. Balance seasoning carefully. Taste while cooking.
- 💡 Brown sausage separately to crisp. Don’t burn andouille; focus on rendering. Mix it in later to avoid greasy gumbo. Keep flavors clean. Texture matters.
- 💡 Okra is tricky. Add late if using frozen. Overcook destroys texture; you need that gentle thicken. Skim excess fat before serving. Serve over rice for balance.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if my roux burns?
If burnt, toss that batch. Start over; no redemption in bitter. Monitor closely. Adjust heat.
Can I use different sausage?
Yes; smoked kielbasa or chorizo work well. Each alters the flavor profile—smokier or spicier.
How to store leftover gumbo?
Keep in airtight containers. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage, up to 3 months.
What to do if gumbo is too thick?
Add broth to loosen. Stir it in slow. Adjust consistency while simmering for best results.
