Louisiana Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
This is the traditional gumbo I grew up on in Louisiana. Its not your quick recipe, but this is the correct way to make gumbo, in my opinion. All the flavors mingle delicately. It is worth the time it takes to make it. It is so good on a cold day!
This is the traditional gumbo I grew up on in Louisiana. Its not your quick recipe, but this is the correct way to make gumbo, in my opinion. All the flavors mingle delicately. It is worth the time it takes to make it. It is so good on a cold day!
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 cups onions chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup frozen sliced okra
- 1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 pounds chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 1 tablespoon emeril's essence
- 3 each bay leaves
- 9 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped (white and green parts)
- Carbohydrate 23.4064469905003 g
- Cholesterol 135.240815917065 mg
- Fat 50.8421972025937 g
- Fiber 2.39667003879539 g
- Protein 52.9735772019457 g
- Saturated Fat 13.6079061698912 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (822g)
- Sodium 4185.82540467557 mg
- Sugar 21.0097769517049 g
- Trans Fat 4.08848738938601 g
- Calories 772 calories
Step-by-step
- In a Dutch oven or larger pot, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside.
- Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pot. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, let it cool then place in refrigerator until ready to add to the gumbo.
- Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly for 20 to 25 minutes until the roux becomes the color of chocolate.
- Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne pepper,and bay leaves. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the chicken stock and stir while cooking until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook on medium-low uncovered about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
- Add the chicken and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface.
- Add the okra and parsley and cook on low for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Serve over long-grain white rice with green onions sprinkled on top. Don't forget the Tabasco sauce!
Most home cooks rush the roux, turning the heat too high and scorching the flour before the starches can properly break down. Achieving a deep chocolate color requires maintaining medium heat and constant agitation for 20 to 25 minutes. Without this deliberate pacing, the thickening power diminishes and the distinct toasted flavor is lost. Understanding foundational Cajun techniques ensures the base properly supports the substantial meats and aromatics.
Building the Foundation and Meats
Browning the smoked sausage first renders valuable fat that seasons the Dutch oven for subsequent steps. Sear the chicken thighs in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which drops the cooking temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Refrigerator chilling prior to reintegration keeps the poultry from overcooking during the extended simmer. Skimming the fat from the surface during the final hours of cooking prevents an oily mouthfeel.Managing Dietary Adjustments
Traditional recipes rely heavily on wheat flour and rendered pork or beef products in the sausage, but modifications remain straightforward. Gluten-free gumbos utilize alternative binding agents, though rice flour requires careful monitoring because it browns faster than all-purpose wheat flour. Selecting vegetarian sausages alters the foundational fat profile, necessitating an initial addition of extra vegetable oil to compensate for missing animal drippings. Okra functions as a traditional thickener, releasing mucilage that helps body the broth independently of the roux.Serving and Storing Properly
Ladling the finished gumbo over hot long-grain white rice provides the necessary carbohydrate contrast to the rich broth. Green onions and hot sauce applied at the table introduce sharp acidity and capsaicin heat to cut through the heavy fats. Storing the pot in the refrigerator for 24 hours often improves the flavor profile as the spices fully saturate the proteins.
