jimswside wrote:Tried a new gumbo recipe Sunday, and was pretty happy with the results. Ill call it pork spare rib and tips gumbo.

Nice idea, I might try that myself but put some smoke on the ribs and tips before adding. Your second night gumbo with the three sunny side up eggs has my 6am salivary glands working overtime.

Jefe wrote:It did its okra thing to the texture of the stew though, which I wasn't 100% down with.

I like the vicious gumbo natto like snottyness of okra, gumbo just ain't gumbo without it. Either way I'd be happy to eat yours, looks terrific, dead-on roux.

lougord99 wrote:Donald Link's Real Cajun suggests that before adding the okra, which he does 15 minutes before the gumbo is finished cooking, that you saute it for 8 minutes until lightly browned. This cooks away all the slime.

My Greek friend taught me to sprinkle some vinegar over the okra, salt it lightly, and let it sit for an hour before rinsing and using. I do this with a tomato and okra dish and notice no sliminess in the finished product despite some of the okra splitting apart.

River Road Recipes, that's my go-to Louisiana cookbook too!

G Wiv wrote:Nice idea, I might try that myself but put some smoke on the ribs and tips before adding. Your second night gumbo with the three sunny side up eggs has my 6am salivary glands working overtime.

those quail eggs were a killer adder... maybe next time Ill do them soft boiled.

Some smoke on the ribs and tips would be a good twist for sure as I do that alot of times with my chicken, sausage and pork shoulder I add.

One of the next gumbos I am definitely going to try the potato salad spin that I have read about & was mentioned upthread. However my next batch will probably not be done until I get back from NOLA with a bunch of new tricks, twists, recipes, and ingredients up my sleeve.

jimswside wrote:
One of the next gumbos I am definitely going to try the potato salad spin that I have read about & was mentioned upthread. However my next batch will probably not be done until I get back from NOLA with a bunch of new tricks, twists, recipes, and ingredients up my sleeve.

Jim, when are you going? I went for the first time last March, it seems like forever! Luckily we'll be going down there later in January just in time

dan

seems my trip to NOLA has only fanned the flames of my obsession with cajun & creole cooking. Did up a pot of gumbo last night in addition to some Chicken Clemenceau.

Gumbo is trinity, chicken thighs, sausage, okra.

Roux used pork lard & melted down chicken skin as the fat. Took this roux 45 minutes(or 1 High life tall boy, a shot of Eagle Rare, and a shot of mezcal). A lighter, but still great roux.

THis version was silky, and loaded with flavor, topped with rice, green onions & file... mercy.



2nd night is always better, cant wait for a big bowl after work tonight.

Mental note: do not look at LTH when hungry. All three of your recent posts with photos are killing me!

Black History Month: A culinary journey.
Informed book details a history of African food traditions. Gumbo/Gombo recipe included.
From today's Trib - http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ ... 1485.story

The GP wrote:Mental note: do not look at LTH when hungry. All three of your recent posts with photos are killing me!

I came back really inspired cooking wise from NOLA, glad you are enjoying the pictures.

We are thinking of going back to NOLA at the end of August, or maybe Ft. Myers. The only bad thing about a week in NOLA was I came back dead tired, way too much walking.

[quote="jimswside]The only bad thing about a week in NOLA was I came back dead tired, way too much walking.[/quote]


Oh sure, it's the WALKING that's wearing you out !!!

boudreaulicious wrote:[

walking, eating, drinking. Kind of added up.

jimswside wrote:We are thinking of going back to NOLA at the end of August, or maybe Ft. Myers. The only bad thing about a week in NOLA was I came back dead tired, way too much walking.

Apologies for the unsolicited advice about your travel plans, but if the walking did you in on this trip, August may not be the best time for a return trip. Really, really hot and sticky -- a two block walk and you will be drenched. We get stuck going to Louisiana to visit my folks every couple of years in August because it's a time that works with our schedule and you gotta visit family, but every time we leave saying that we just have to find a better time to go next time. Actually not a bad time to visit in terms of getting reservations and the like, though, because there are not a lot of people there.

Have very much enjoyed your write-up of your trip, by the way.

Matt wrote:

jimswside wrote:We are thinking of going back to NOLA at the end of August, or maybe Ft. Myers. The only bad thing about a week in NOLA was I came back dead tired, way too much walking.

Apologies for the unsolicited advice about your travel plans, but if the walking did you in on this trip, August may not be the best time for a return trip. Really, really hot and sticky -- a two block walk and you will be drenched. We get stuck going to Louisiana to visit my folks every couple of years in August because it's a time that works with our schedule and you gotta visit family, but every time we leave saying that we just have to find a better time to go next time. Actually not a bad time to visit in terms of getting reservations and the like, though, because there are not a lot of people there.

Have very much enjoyed your write-up of your trip, by the way.

thanks, we had a blast,

after sampling alot of gumbo in NOLA I am pretty pleased with the version I have been turning out the past few years.

the walking was tough only because I am a lazy desk jocky nowdays..

Heat doesnt really bother me, I am the guy who takes vacations to Florida, S. Carolina, & Las Vegas in July & August, I love the heat.

Can't believe I've not read this thread before today! I make gumbo all the time and, because I'm allergic to bell peppers, can't compare mine to others. However, I've been told it's mighty fine and I did cook some for a restaurant while in Mexico one year. Was also told by someone who grew up in LA that I must have learned while in LA. Apparently one can't make a proper gumbo unless you live there?? I don't know....but I think I make a fine gumbo.

Justin Wilson and Paul Prudhomme are my inspirations and I use their cookbooks for ideas. There is no method to my madness any more; I make gumbo with whatever I have on hand. I have roux down to a 15 minute process, making a dark chocolate roux for almost all my bases. I make my own stock and generally make 16 qts at a time. As everyone's pointed out, it just gets better with time. If I do shrimp, I'll make a shrimp (or seafood) stock and only add shrimp when heating up for serving.

After reading through this thread, I'll have to look for Parker House sausage in my local grocery store (read WalMart and Kroger....so sad). Since moving to TN, I pretty much use whatever I find in the store, which offers little variety. I'm only 90 minutes from Memphis so I'll see what I can find. If I do find it and am planning a trip back to Chicagoland, I'll let you all know. I might be able to bring some up that way, depending on how long we'll be in the area.

In a trip to Biloxi last year, I picked up a bunch of sausages (crawfish and alligator!!!) and am still using up that stock. I made a shrimp and alligator sausage gumbo that was pretty freaking outrageous.

I need to start taking pictures of my food.....it's never a pretty sight though.

All gumbo is beautiful. I believe the degree of roux in a bowl of gumbo tells a lot about the day the cook had. I do enjoy making roux. This time I decided to try a high heat method for my roux...it turned out good. I was a bit surprised that it still wasn't quick...probably still took a good half hour. This was actually a freezer/left over gumbo. Yesterdays chicken, some Jacob's andouille, left over smoked Berkshire shoulder.

love the Gumbo!

Dan

Earlier on (and elsewhere on this forum) there was discussion (and even some skepticism) about Alton Brown's oven roux method, which I endorse, although I don't follow it precisely. I always start the roux out on the stove in an oven-safe pan/pot, and then at some point move it to the oven (when it's beyond the caramel color stage). I have also tested oven temperatures and have determined that 375 will not burn the roux (Alton Brown suggests a temperature of 350). My rationale for finishing roux in the oven is that at some point roux becomes very prone to burning. No, I'm not talking about the roux being totally burnt, just burnt in spots, and to me each small bit of burning is enough to destroy a good gumbo - it should be smoky, not burnt, and there's a huge difference. Although constant stirring helps minimize this risk, finishing the roux in the oven pretty much eliminates the risk, allows the roux to get pretty dark and saves your hands and wrists.

At the bottom of this post are a couple of pictures of my roux, the first while still cooking and darkening, the second when finished and cooled. I probably could have achieved even a slightly darker roux, but if anyone doubted the ability to prepare a roux in the oven, doubt no more. But note that it does take much longer to prepare it in the oven than on the stove, and the cooking times listed in Alton Brown's recipe are off. Also worth noting: when you incorporate the roux and stock, both need to be warmed up to eliminate risk of them separating.

This is from gumbo I prepared for a Super Bowl party - unfortunately, no pics of the finished gumbo (chicken thigh and andouille from Wayne Jacob's in La Place, LA)*, but I can tell you that it delivered all of the great flavor that gumbo should deliver.

* I enjoy the andouille from Ream's Elburn Market for eating, but I believe gumbo benefits dramatically from a smokier product like the ones sold in La Place, LA, such as Wayne Jacob's, Jacob's and Bailey's, all of which are available for delivery to Chicago by mail order.



roux still cooking



finished and cooled roux

That is a fine-looking roux.

Yesterday, I made this vegetarian gumbo, gumbo z'herbes, for the first time, as part of a Creole/Cajun-themed luncheon I was asked to cater for a birthday shower. I didn't take any pictures, unfortunately, but it turned out quite well, and is a nice vegetarian (and vegan) option. I used one bunch each of the following greens: kale, turnip greens, green chard, mustard greens, collard greens, spinach, and parsley. This recipe has a relatively short cook for the greens: just enough for them to wilt. Recipes range from this sort of light cooking of the greens to cooking them for up to two hours (sometimes in a liquid with a ham hock or andouille sausage thrown into it.) I actually decided on the long cooking, as that's what gumbopages.com called for, as well as the copy of my The New Orleans Restaurant Cookbook.

I've never had this gumbo before, but it's absolutely delicious, and worth adding to your cooking repertoire, especially if you plan on having vegans over for dinner.

I've eaten and also made a few types of gumbo over the years, but was completely blown away a few months ago when I visited Mr B's in NO and had their gumbo ya ya. The biggest difference, which was apparent from the first spoonful, was that the roux went from thickener/flavor enhancer to central flavor profile in the soup. The color of the soup was passed dark mahogany to a chocolate brown. The recipe is available online with a quick google search, and confirmed my suspicion that the amount of roux relative to stock is a good bit higher than "typical" gumbo (1lb butter, 3 cups flour, for 20 cups stock) . So you have both intense nutty taste of the chocolate colored roux and the volume of roux as the main flavor component, with the chicken, andouille, etc in a supporting role. I also believe that long cooking times for roux actually decrease its thickening power, so you don't end up with a pasty mess that this high flour/stock ratio might initially infer.

I tried making a version when I got back in Chicago and came somewhat close. Unfortunately, I stopped the roux after only an hour when it was dark mahogany. It was good but still lacked that additional depth of Mr B's. Next time I'll take the roux to the full 90-120 minutes and hopefully it will result in that deeper chocolate color and more intense flavor.

Last gumbo I made I tried the oven roux method (a la Cooks Country) and it turned out awesome...
I also used frozen okra instead of fresh, due to the season,
and the slime factor was waaaay better.
I got so many compliments I think I'm and oven convert now.

I've got a gumbo project going on today in advance of movie night. I'm doing a task at a time interspersed with computer work and house tidying.

So far, warmed up and chopped andouille and kielbasa; tore up and chopped chicken from yesterday's roasted chicken leg quarters; sautéed okra; roasted peppers (green, red, yellow, and orange) under broiler, peeled off skins, and chopped up; and have Alton Brown's roux close to done in the oven.

My first time trying roasting large, flat pieces of bell pepper under the broiler and I like the technique. Easier than the usual flipping them around whole on a burner and trying to peel them whole. And they taste so sweet now - almost like apricots.

Coming up, chop up and sauté trinity and garlic, mix in tomatoes, mix into roux, add seasonings, simmer; when guests arrive, add sausage and chicken to gumbo, make rice, serve gumbo with rice and garnish with chopped green onions.

A pleasant day with lovely aromas in the kitchen and the promise of a pleasant dinner to come. Gumbo night. Mmmmm.

It's that time of the year again - time to make the gumbo. I've often made a variation of the gumbo recipe from Jimmy Bannos at Heaven on Seven, but I believe there are a few major changes needed that really elevate the dish.

First, you need a really dark roux. To get the roux as dark as semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, I find that I cannot do it completely on the stove. So I start it on the stove, get it fairly dark, and finish it in the oven, thus ensuring that I do not burn the roux. Here's a picture of the roux more than half-way there:


Roux on the stove



I have pictures of the finished roux a couple of posts above. But the additional flavor a really dark roux adds to a bowl of gumbo is pretty dramatic. You also need a good homemade chicken stock:


chicken stock



Third, you need a great quality andouille. On the first page of this thread, I touted Jacob's World Famous and Bailey's from LaPlace, Louisiana. Both offer a great product, better than Ream's or any other available in the Chicago area. But in the last couple of years, Wayne Jacob's began shipping their andouille, and in my opinion, their andouille is undoubtedly the pinnacle of andouille. Do not settle for less! I posted a link to their website and phone number in this post. Here's a look at Wayne Jacob's andouille, cut up:


Wayne Jacob's Smokehouse andouille



Fourth, I substitute chicken thigh or duck for the chicken breast in the Bannos recipe (and use some of the rendered fat). In this case, I used chicken thigh. Occasionally, I also incorporate a smoked ham hock while cooking the gumbo and I did that in this case.

Ultimately, you end up with what I'd claim to be a really terrific pot of gumbo. Here's a look at one serving:


Finished gumbo

Top notch color. Great job

Thinking im gonna try the oven roux method mentioned here and by some other gumbo cooks. Got my tasso and some sausage in the freezer for a batch really soon..., now.

jimswside wrote:Top notch color. Great job

Thinking im gonna try the oven roux method mentioned here and by some other gumbo cooks. Got my tasso and some sausage in the freezer for a batch really soon..., now.

Thanks Jim!

Let me just say that while I like the ease of the oven method, it takes too damn long. I now prefer to start it on the stove, develop some really good color, and then finish it off in the oven (around 400 degrees, maybe a bit less) just to protect against burning. As the roux gets really dark on the stove, I find the risk of burning significantly increases. Dark roux is a good thing; burnt roux is a disaster.

BR wrote:

jimswside wrote:Top notch color. Great job

Thinking im gonna try the oven roux method mentioned here and by some other gumbo cooks. Got my tasso and some sausage in the freezer for a batch really soon..., now.

Thanks Jim!

Let me just say that while I like the ease of the oven method, it takes too damn long. I now prefer to start it on the stove, develop some really good color, and then finish it off in the oven (around 400 degrees, maybe a bit less) just to protect against burning. As the roux gets really dark on the stove, I find the risk of burning significantly increases. Dark roux is a good thing; burnt roux is a disaster.

right on, thanks for the added tips on the oven roux technique.

I dont follow a recipe anymore for chicken and sausage gumbo, done it enough times it is done by feel.

roux made with flour and a mix of lard: 1/2 from PQM, 1/2 from Smoking Goose in Indy. cooked and stirred for 45 minutes(dark chocolate color), then added(jalapenos, celery, onion, garlic):



cooked the veg for a few then started adding the chicken stock a and a couple bay leaves, and let it thicken and simmer for about 45. Had some chicken I smoked the day before and some of this andoullie from Goose the Market in Indy:





added the sausage and chicken, as well as some file and let it simmer another 45. Added some fresh okra and served it about 2 minutes later - with rice and green onion:



silky and pretty good for the first night.

I don't know how long it's been since I made gumbo, but it's been too long, as the Zatarain's section in the grocery store reminded me. I'm making it today using the Zatarain's gumbo mix box instead of a homemade roux (I don't mind, I like Zatarain's).

I've been putting my gumbo together step by step throughout the afternoon while rereading this thread for fun and ideas, although not rereading as closely as I could, because I'm supposed to be working too.

I love the fact that gumbo can be different every time and that you can improvise with it and borrow ideas from other people.

I've also gone back and reread the River Road recipes, and I'm a bit shocked that they call for 2 to 3 quarts of water, which is about double what I used, with in some cases half the total meat and veg amounts. I guess those recipes' owners like their gumbo very soupy. I read the recipes for ingredient ideas moreso than for the quantities.

At least one person upthread mentioned the Paul Prudhomme Family cookbook, and I looked around for that. Apparently it's not too easy to get; a 1987 hardcover edition in good-at-best condition costs about $10, which is not bad at all, but new, it's upwards of $80. I have Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and Seasoned America, and I'm wondering, does the Family cookbook have much of anything different in it? I'm willing to spend $10 and find out for myself, but I'm curious to hear from anyone who owns the Family cookbook.

My gumbo today has bacon, chicken thigh meat, andouille sausage, and shrimp in it, along with okra, red bell peppers, celery, white onion, and green onion.

What I did with the meat this time was cook chicken thighs yesterday, save and cut up the meat in the glass casserole dish along with the chicken fat and juices, reheat the chicken/fat/juices in the oven, heat/brown the andouille sausage in the oven in the same dish, and finally, heat and brown the shrimp in the oven, again in the same dish. Everything is in the pot except the shrimp, which were cooked and browned in the oven; I'm saving those to add just before we eat.

As for the gumbo ingredients in the stockpot on the stovepot, I added a lot more of the onion, celery, and bell pepper than the Zatarain's recipe called for, and some more rice and more water, so I have a pretty full stockpot of gumbo.

Another thing I did was add about a teaspoon of BTB (Better Than Bouillon) chicken stock base and a teaspoon of BTB lobster base. The broth tastes wonderful.

My Zatarain's-based gumbo is not spicy at all, which will be just as well as far as Sweet Baboo is concerned, but I'm going to want some extra heat, so a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce is standing at the ready.

I know it's not cold weather yet, but it was a rainy day. If you haven't made gumbo in a while, think about it!

Timely to see this thread revisited! I had been bemoaning the fact I couldn't buy smoked pork hocks up in Alaska, then as if in reply to my prayer 2 of our 4 grocers have them in the case this week! I make a pretty hybrid version mostly because I can. I have always simmered a couple of good size hocks in with about a pound of red beans in chicken broth. I add in andouille, ham, smoked chicken thigh and of course a good amount of the trinity with a liberal dusting of cajun spicing. The only thing I have to figure out now is how to cut back my restaurant size batch! It's only the two of us and my lovely wife wouldn't touch a bean to save my life.

I think I'm gonna get down on a pot of gumbo this weekend myself.

Any good recent andouille recs?

D.G.Sullivan wrote:The only thing I have to figure out now is how to cut back my restaurant size batch! It's only the two of us and my lovely wife wouldn't touch a bean to save my life.

I have this same problem when I make red beans and rice. I like to make a lot of it, but Sweet Baboo won't eat beans except in chili. And rice doesn't seem to freeze well -- it blows out. So if I'm going to freeze a big batch of red beans or a big batch of gumbo (for me, not him), I need to keep the rice separate, which is not possible using the Zatarain's gumbo mix, as it already has rice in it.

Katie wrote: So if I'm going to freeze a big batch of red beans or a big batch of gumbo (for me, not him), I need to keep the rice separate, which is not possible using the Zatarain's gumbo mix, as it already has rice in it.

Zatarain does offer their Gumbo base without rice, although I'll admit it can be a bit hard to find.
http://www.mccormick.com/Zatarains/Products/Spices-and-Seasonings/Bases-and-Bean-Seasonings/Gumbo-Base

FYI,
Dave