Description
A classic Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo featuring a rich, mahogany roux combined with andouille sausage, shrimp, crabmeat, and a blend of aromatic vegetables and spices, simmered to perfection for a hearty and flavorful dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Roux
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cup bacon drippings
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Meats & Seafood
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 pound lump crabmeat
- 3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Liquids & Broth
- 3 quarts water
- 6 cubes beef bouillon
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Seasonings & Other
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere’s®), or to taste
- 4 bay leaves
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4 teaspoons file powder, divided
- 2 tablespoons bacon drippings (for cooking okra)
- 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all ingredients needed to prepare the gumbo to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Make the Roux: In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings until smooth. Continuously whisk the mixture to cook the roux until it attains a rich mahogany brown color, which typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Be careful to prevent burning by maintaining medium-low heat and constant whisking. Remove from heat and continue whisking briefly to stop the cooking process.
- Prep Vegetables: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped to integrate well into the roux.
- Cook Vegetables and Sausage: Stir the finely chopped vegetables into the roux along with sliced andouille sausage. Cook this mixture over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly until the vegetables are tender. Then remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare Broth: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, combine water and beef bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the bouillon cubes are fully dissolved.
- Add Roux Mixture to Broth: Whisk the roux mixture into the boiling broth until fully combined.
- Season and Simmer: Reduce heat to low to simmer. Add sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to the pot. Let the gumbo simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. At the 45-minute mark, stir in 2 teaspoons of file powder for flavor and thickening.
- Cook Okra: While gumbo simmers, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add thawed okra and vinegar, cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until okra is tender. Remove okra with a slotted spoon and stir it into the simmering gumbo.
- Add Seafood and Final Simmer: Mix crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce into the gumbo. Continue to simmer for an additional 45 minutes to allow the flavors to blend thoroughly.
- Final Seasoning: Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of file powder.
- Serve: Ladle the hot gumbo over freshly cooked white rice and enjoy the traditional taste of New Orleans Creole cooking.
Notes
- Traditional Creole gumbo made with a dark roux, blending savory sausage, seafood, and aromatic vegetables.
- Serve over hot cooked white rice to absorb the flavorful broth.
- File powder adds both flavor and thickening; add it gradually to control gumbo texture.
- Watch the roux carefully; constant whisking and low heat prevent burning.
- Adjust heat level by varying hot pepper sauce and Cajun seasoning amounts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 283 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 853 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 143 mg
