Gumbo

[Garry Tarpley]

Tried my hand at some gumbo yesterday, only my second try.Usually wait for wife to do it. Used seafood with my H-110 sausage. Spent a full 45 minutes stirring my roux,without it your sunk. Still have fresh bell peppers in garden even had one red one, it hit 34deg. that morning but now warming up back to low 80’s Yea. There are many recipes on internet and I kind of mix two to get my version. It came out OK I wouldn’t compare it with our local Cajun restaurant but we all liked it. Plus I tried to cheat and use a quick microwave brown rice ,you really need the long stem white, and I didn’t have an amber beer like Abita, a New Orleans favorite. Were lucky we have a local seafood shop we get fresh oysters every week. It took 2 hours non stop at stove and 2 more hours to finish. But here’s some pic’s

[Ridley Acres]

Born and raised in the upper midwest, this is not something we are able to find very often.

[gus4416]

Ridley Acres that looks awesome I am in upstate New York and have never had gumbo but plain to try it when I head cross country in the future I love spiced up food so Cajun food appeals to me a lot

[GWG8541]

Garry Tarpley that looks great. I love a good gumbo.

[samspade]

I’m no chef but I thought a roux was just butter and flour with onions celery etc. Cooked into a paste like substance that you add liquid to to thicken a dish. Have I been doing it wrong? I mean if you spent time stirring it then I’m definitely doing something wrong.

[HerbcoFood]

samspade A roux is just flour and liquid(oil), no seasonings or other foods involved.

[samspade]

That’s what I thought. I was worried I was doing it wrong. Tks.

[Garry Tarpley]

You want to stir the flour and oil till you get a dark caramel color, it takes a good 30 -45 minutes. What I did was add the onions, after you get a dark peanut color and cook 5 more minutes,then add the celery and chopped peppers cook 5 more, then garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the 12oz amber beer. This was when I added the secret ingredient file’ about a tablespoon. That is make it darker,
Add the seafood cook 5-10 minutes and eat. Enjoy…

[bocephus]

Garry Tarpley That looks really good, I love creole food. I think it was Chef who posted that he makes his roux in the oven, might want to look that up or contact him, he is always very helpful. Not being critical, yours looks great, maybe just an easier way.

[calldoctoday]

Garry Tarpley I normally do not add the File Gumbo until the individual dish is served. Another words, not adding it to the gumbo mix, but the serving.

[calldoctoday]

Garry Tarpley I have never tried using beer in my Gumbo, that is interesting. I do make a whole lot of good us of the Red Wine though or even Sauterne if I can get it.

[calldoctoday]

bocephus I still just like making my roux in the pot. Something about the experience, etc.

[bocephus]

calldoctoday I understand, nothing wrong with that, just letting you know of another way.

[GWG8541]

Garry Tarpley I put beer in my chili, I’ll have to give gumbo a shot.

[calldoctoday]

calldoctoday Absolutely & no problem. I have seen a few folks doing that too. I think I tried it once myself, but there was just something about getting that roux all made up in the pot. They also make some store bought rouxs I found when on assignment in Louisiana Like Mrs, Savoys & a few others. I will have to admit, I tried a few of them, just to see what they were like, even though I have kidded a few folks about using them, like the oven roux. Most of the folks that use that method swear by it as being easier, safer, etc. & I would have to agree with that too, but it leaves out the experience & the challenge.

[alanburkholder]

At the NOLA kitchen I learned to use lard not oil in the roux, and stir, stir, stir (don’t answer the phone, door, etc.) just stir. Once it was as dark as Mississippi mud, then add the trinity, then the pope (garlic)…

[samspade]

Ok after reading I understand that I WAS doing it wrong thanks you guys for explaining it so clearly. That’s what I like about Meatgistics, you dont get trolled you get taught.

[Garry Tarpley]

Amen to stirring,its a pain, and,calldoctoday,is right I read that the file can go in your own bowl, but the receipt I was following did it this way ,I am sure not as good as the NOLA folks and don’t claim to be lol
The whole blue crabs are kind of more for looks as there so hard to pick the good stuff out of ,I bought a pint of crab meat from our local guy to put in. Plus you really have to soak and rinse those whole ones a lot to get the shells pieces out.

[calldoctoday]

alanburkholder Oh yes, that is the good stuff. I use just a little bacon grease in my recipe to just kick the flavor up a notch before adding the holy trinity & all the other good stuff.

[cdavis]

Garry Tarpley man that looks great