Making gumbo like real Cajuns dol Gumbo, which comes from southern Louisiana, can be interpreted as making a meat and/or shellfish soup with rice. Gumbo is always seasoned with garlic, onions, and cayyene pepper. The name “Gumbo” itself comes from the African word for “okra”, and here is how to cook thick gumbo traditionally.
Ingredients
- 0.5 kg variety of meat or seafood: game (squirrel, rabbit, deer, raccoon, opossum, beaver), poultry (turkey, duck, chicken, quail, pigeon), smoked meat (sausage, tasso or andouille), and shellfish (crayfish, prawns, crabs, clams, or mussels).
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 large onion
- 1 1/2 cups okra (a type of nut)
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 liters of chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp cayyene pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups of rice
Step
Method 1 of 3: Preparing Materials
Step 1. De-slimming okra
Fresh okra has a sticky liquid in it which may be less appetizing. This method of cleaning the liquid is called "de-slimming." Wash the okra and place it in a bowl with a little water and a cup of vinegar. Leave the mixture for an hour. When an hour has elapsed, remove the okra, rinse with water, and rinse dry with paper towels. Cut the de-slimming okra into small pieces and place them in a container.
Step 2. Chop the garlic and cut the vegetables into cubes
Start by peeling and chopping the garlic. Peel and dice a large onion, a few stalks of celery and a large bell pepper and store in a separate container. If you like a specific spice, feel free to add the amount to taste – adding extra onions, celery sticks, or pepper won't affect the richness of the gumbo.
Step 3. Cut the meat
Slice the sausage, andouille or tasso you use into small pieces, then store them in a container. Cut the entire game or poultry of your choice into small pieces. Rinse the pieces, dry them with paper towels, and store them in a separate container. Place the meat in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook the gumbo.
Step 4. Peel or peel the seafood
Remove shells and store seafood in a closed container. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook the gumbo.
Method 2 of 3: Making the Base
Step 1. Make a roux
Heat the butter in a saucepan large enough to hold the gumbo. Set the temperature to medium-high and allow the butter to melt completely. Add the flour and use a whisk to mix it with the butter. Keep stirring until the mixture is cooked through and turns from golden to brown.
- Don't overcook the roux, or it will change the taste of the gumbo. Reduce the heat if the mixture seems to be cooking too fast.
- If the roux is overcooked, it's best to start with a fresh flour and butter mixture.
Step 2. Add broth
As soon as the roux looks ready, add the stock so the roux doesn't burn. Stir the mixture until the broth is hot and starts to boil slowly.
Step 3. Add vegetables
Add the onion, celery, and paprika mixture. Sprinkle the chopped okra and garlic. Boil the broth.
Step 4. Brown the meat
When the stock starts to boil, place the skillet on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Pour some oil in the skillet and let it heat up. Place the pieces of meat on a skillet and let them turn brown on one side for one minute. Use tongs to flip the meat over and turn the other side brown.
- Work with multiple skillets at the same time if needed, as a skillet full of meat will prevent the liquid from evaporating so the meat doesn't brown completely.
- There's no need to cook the meat until it's fully cooked, because later they will be cooked again in the gumbo pot.
Step 5. Add meat and fish to the pan
Use tongs to transfer the browned meat to the pan. Add bacon too. Use a large wooden spoon to stir the mixture, then bring it back to a boil, then let it simmer slowly and let it simmer for an hour.
Method 3 of 3: Seasoning and Finishing the Gumbo
Step 1. Add the spices
Adjust the amount of cayyene, black pepper, salt, and other spices you want to use. Put them in the gumbo. Taste the gumbo and decide if it is necessary to add more seasoning. Simmer the gumbo for another hour to allow the flavors to infuse.
Step 2. Cook the rice
In a separate pot or using a rice cooker, cook the rice. When it's done cooking, use two forks to lift it up.
Step 3. Add the seafood ingredients
When the gumbo is almost done cooking, add the shellfish and let it cook for another 10 minutes. This will keep the texture of the shells soft.
Step 4. Serve the gumbo
Spoon rice into a bowl. Drizzle the gumbo over the rice and serve hot. Many Cajuns enjoy gumbo with a spicy Louisiana sauce as a side dish.
Tips
- Gumbo doesn't really need boneless meat. Bones can add flavor.
- Never serve okra that's still slimy in gumbo. If you do, call it okra soup and never call it Cajun food.
- Making gumbo for someone, and doing it well, is a job full of love. Cooking this dish takes a lot of time, and it can take years to make your own gumbo recipe perfect. Gumbo, like the perfect brisket, biscuit, and apple pie, is a food that takes a long time to cook.
- Tasso is a type of heavily spiced smoked meat product usually made from pork breast and is available at most butcher shops in and around SW Louisiana.
- Not the “typical Cajun” gumbo if you don't eat it with rice.
- "Gumbo File" is a type of sassafras tree leaf that is dried and ground into a powder and is commonly used as a thickening agent and seasoning for gumbo dishes in general, particularly around the SW Louisiana area. It's best to use it sparingly, until you know how much you like the taste; it has a distinctive taste. Sassafras root can be taken to make a delicious herbal tea, but it is not used for cooking.
- If using shrimp, crayfish or crab. Save the shells and skins to make a delicious broth. Simply boil the crayfish shells or heads in boiling water and leave for an hour. Remove the shells from the broth and you are now off to a great start to start cooking the gumbo.
- Boil the pork thigh bones, this will give you a delicious broth for making gumbo.
