Smokey Creole Gumbo with Hot Sauce

By lamarandrose

When you think of Cajun and Creole cooking, a big pot of gumbo probably comes to mind. This recipe for Smokey Creole Gumbo will help you make a tasty and easy gumbo recipe in your own home that will make you feel like you've taken a trip to Louisiana. Gumbo is meant to be eaten in the biggest bowl you have, so don't be stingy when serving this delicious dish. Spoon the gumbo over a bed of rice and top with hot sauce for the perfect Creole meal.

Ingredients

• For the Roux:
• 3 3 3 lbs large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 3 3 2? lbs chicken breast, chopped 2? chunks
• 3 3 3 lbs smoked sausage
• 1 1 1 pack of smoked turkey, wings, or legs
• 1 1 1 pack dried shrimp
• 2 2 2 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 2 2 bunch parsley, washed, chopped stems removed
• 1 1 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 1 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1 1 head of garlic, chopped
• 1 1 1 head of celery, chopped
• 2-49 2-49 cans 2-49 oz. cans of chicken broth
• 2-49 2-49 cans 2-49 oz. cans of water
• 2 2 2 tbsp. creole seasoning
• 2 2 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 2 2 tbsp. onion powder
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 tbsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 1 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 2 2 2 c. roux (recipe below)
• Hot sauce
• pot of hot rice
• 3 3 3 c. cooking oil, canola or vegetable
• 3 1/2 3 1/2 1/2 c. flour

Preparation

Step 1

◾To prepare the roux.
Heat oil on medium in a large pot because the oil will splatter to protect yourself.
When oil is heated about 5-8 minutes, add flour, whisking very well.
Lower heat to medium-low and whisk until the roux is the color of milk chocolate, right before it reaches dark chocolate.
This will take about an hour.
Lower heat if roux brown too quickly.
You can not rush roux, low and slow is the key to a great roux.
If you burn it start over. It’s not worth ruining the whole gumbo.
This will make enough roux for two gumbos.
Allow extra roux to cool then place in a freezer bag and freeze it.

To Prepare the Gumbo:
In a large stock pot, add broth and water.
Add all chopped vegetables, add sausage that have been sliced on a diagonal about 1/2 inch slices.
Add dry shrimp, smoked turkey and half the seasonings.
If you think your sausage might be extremely greasy, slice them and boil them in a separate pot for about 20 minutes to release the oil from them.
Then add them to the stock pot.
Allow this mixture to cook for about 1 hour on medium heat.

Start preparing your roux while the vegetable mixture cooks.

Directions below on how to prepare your roux.
After 1 hour, remove smoked turkey from pot, peel off turkey skin and discard, shred turkey meat and add back to the pot.
Add the remaining seasonings, add the chicken breast chunks and cooks for 30 minutes.
Lower heat to medium-low and add 2 cups of the roux mixture and cook for 30 minutes more.
Be very careful when adding the roux, it will splatter and burn you.
I put a big spoon in the pot and allow the roux to fall on the spoon first so it slowly hits the hot stock.
After adding the roux, put a lid on the pot with a slight vent and this will allow any grease that accumulates to rise to the top of the pot so you can skim it off.
You will not get all the grease off, its OK.
Finally, dump the shrimp in that has been peeled and deveined.
Let gumbo cook 30 minutes more while you prepare your hot rice and get ready to eat.

Serve with lots and lots of hot sauce.

Notes

This is how I was taught by my mother to properly store gumbo and I've never had a problem with this method.

Do not put a lid on the pot, please do not put a lid on the pot after the gumbo is cooked you will spoil it.

Transfer gumbo to a large bowl, refrigerate, I repeat do not put a lid on the bowl. Leave the gumbo uncovered overnight to cool down completely.

This is the way I always cool down my gumbo. It will be warm in the refrigerator that is why I transfer it too another bowl, you can also put a cold, damp towel under the bowl so the heat from the gumbo want damage your refrigerator shelf.

If you cover warm gumbo with a lid you will spoil it, yes I know I am repeating myself but you must know this.

After the gumbo has cooled overnight, it can be frozen in freezer bags or just eat some more. Only re-heat up what you plan on eating in one sitting.