Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Gumbo, with shrimp, crab, chicken Andouille sausage, and okra is a spicy Cajun-inspired meal served over rice or grits. This recipe is not super easy as it takes time to cook to properly develop all of the flavors. This recipe all starts with a dark and rich roux made from bacon drippings.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Roux:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup bacon drippings
Gumbo:
- 1 medium onion
- 1 small green bell pepper or half of a large bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
- 3 stalks celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 pound Andouille sausage chicken or pork, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
- 1 1/2 quarts beef broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce Tobasco
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 10 ounces frozen okra
- 1 1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat I used frozen and thawed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons gumbo file powder
- salt amount varies by preference
Instructions
- Make the roux: Whisk together 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup bacon drippings in a Dutch oven and cook in 300°F oven for 90 minutes, whisking every 15 minutes or so. This temperature should be hot enough to develop a rich dark roux without burning it, but if it smells like it's burning, reduce the temperature. Alternatively, if after one hour the roux has not darkened, increase the temperature to 325°F.
- Chop vegetables: While roux is cooking, pulse 1 medium onion, 1 small green bell pepper, 3 stalks celery, and 2 cloves garlic in a food processor. You want the cut pieces to be small as if you were dicing them with a knife. Alternatively, you may dice with a knife and cutting board.
- Cook sausage and veggies: Once roux is done, place the Dutch oven on the stove. Add onion mixture along with the 3/4 pound Andouille sausage. Cook over medium-low heat. You want to cook the vegetables and sausage while not burning the roux. Stir occasionally. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Simmer: Slowly add 1 1/2 quarts beef broth to the mixture in the Dutch oven. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that may have stuck during the cooking process. Stir well to combine ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and 10 ounces frozen okra. Reduce heat to the lowest setting to maintain a simmer and cook for one hour.
- Add seafood and seasonings: Add 1 1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp, 8 ounces lump crabmeat, 2 teaspoons gumbo file powder, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Cook over extremely low heat until seafood is cooked through.
- Add salt to taste. I never specify the amount because I feel it's based on personal preference, but start out with a small amount, taste, and continue adding until the flavor is right. Serve gumbo over a medium or long grain rice or grits.
Notes
Makes 3 quarts. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days or freeze in airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 272mg | Sodium: 1708mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 980IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 4mg