Try this Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo recipe
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 large shallot or 1 small onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon grapeseed or vegetable oil divided
- 14 oz andouille sausage sliced into half moons
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1-1/4lb)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 6 tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour (i used white ric
- 2 small celery stalks chopped
- 56 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less optional)
- Carbohydrate 3.48730512094437 g
- Cholesterol 47.627198808 mg
- Fat 17.6417252383188 g
- Fiber 0.667317056291156 g
- Protein 14.0784852738432 g
- Saturated Fat 5.84270643815443 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (357g)
- Sodium 1038.1126170081 mg
- Sugar 2.81998806465322 g
- Trans Fat 1.58552046619471 g
- Calories 230 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 6+ quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage then saute until browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate then set aside. Season both sides of chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning then place skin side down in Dutch oven. Sear on both sides until golden brown, 3-4 minutes a side (does not need to be cooked through,) then transfer to plate with sausage and set aside.
- Remove Dutch oven from heat for a few minutes to cool slightly then place back over medium heat. Add remaining 3 Tablespoons oil then sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly until mixture is the color of caramel, 10-15 minutes (this is your roux.) Add bell pepper, celery, and shallot or onion then saute until vegetables are slightly tender, 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven often with a wooden spoon to make sure roux doesn't burn. Add garlic and tomato paste then saute for one more minute.
- Add a couple big glugs of chicken broth at a time to the Dutch oven, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom. Add remaining chicken broth, remaining 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, sauteed sausage and chicken thighs then turn heat up to bring gumbo to a boil. Turn heat down to medium then simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours, occasionally skimming off the fat that rises to the top.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board then remove and discard skin and bones. Shred chicken then add back into the gumbo. Remove bay leaves then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve over cooked white rice.
Gumbo operates under strict chronological constraints, demanding patience as flour and fat transform slowly over direct heat into a deep, nutty base that provides the entire dish with its foundational structure. Without rushing the process, whisking the flour and oil continuously prevents scorching while developing deep color compounds. Although traditionally thickened with various agents depending on regional coastal or rural preferences, modern adaptations accommodate alternative starches effortlessly without sacrificing body or mouthfeel. When substituting all-purpose flour with gluten-free alternatives like white rice flour, maintain the standard one-to-one volumetric ratio while expecting the browning process to require vigilant stirring to achieve the desired caramel hue.
The Science of the Roux
Achieving the correct stage of the roux requires precise temperature control and persistent movement with a wooden spoon across the bottom of a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. As the mixture cooks for ten to fifteen minutes, starches break down and proteins undergo Maillard reactions that eliminate raw flour tastes entirely. Introducing the holy trinity of celery, bell pepper, and onions halts the browning process instantly through moisture release, safeguarding against burnt batches.
Adapting Portions and Yields
Scaling a gumbo up or down requires careful adjustment of the liquid-to-roux ratio rather than a strict linear multiplication of every single component. While a standard pot serves six diners comfortably using fourteen ounces of andouille sausage and four bone-in chicken thighs, doubling the batch demands a wider vessel surface area to ensure the roux browns evenly instead of steaming in a crowded pan.
