First, thank you all for your help on the gumbo recipe. If nothing more, it helped me relax and realize that there isn't one particular way that gumbo should turn out.
My roux turned out really nice and brown - it was a bit thinner than I expected it to be but it added a wonderful taste to the gumbo and I loved the smell. It was my first experience with the dark roux - I liked it 🙂
I added some andoullie sausage, celery, peppers, onions, chicken, broth and okra (along with seasoning of course). I think for the most part it turned out fine - everyone said it was great - the whole pot got eaten. More successful were they gyros I made last night - but I will add that in a separate post
I added some andoullie sausage, celery, peppers, onions, chicken, broth and okra (along with seasoning of course). I think for the most part it turned out fine - everyone said it was great - the whole pot got eaten. More successful were they gyros I made last night - but I will add that in a separate post
Roberta (in VA)
This sounds good to me, Roberta. Gumbo can be simple; roux, broth, onions and meat/poultry/seafood/sausage, served over rice. I never add file to the pot of gumbo, I serve it with file on the side. I am glad you tried it.
My roux turned out really nice and brown - it was a bit thinner than I expected it to be but it added a wonderful taste to the gumbo and I loved the smell.
A dark roux does not give much of a thickening effect. It's used for the flavor and color. If you want a roux to thicken a sauce, it's better to use flour and butter, cooked briefly, just long enough to get the raw taste out of the flour.
If you add filé to your gumbo, that will provide some thickening (and more flavor). Do it after the pot comes off the stove. We usually have it at the table, so guests can put in as much as they want.
A dark roux does not give much of a thickening effect. It's used for the flavor and color. If you want a roux to thicken a sauce, it's better to use flour and butter, cooked briefly, just long enough to get the raw taste out of the flour.
But if you do that, you just end up with a light roux. That won't work for the many recipes where a dark roux is essential. How could it?
The longer you cook a roux (i.e. the darker it becomes) the greater the reduction in thickening power. In that case, use more roux so as to achieve the proper thickness. Any good recipe will take this into account
The darker the roux the more you need to use to achieve the same thickening power.
-- Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
A dark roux does not give much of a thickening effect. It's used for the flavor and color. If you want a roux to thicken a sauce, it's better to use flour and butter, cooked briefly, just long enough to get the raw taste out of the flour.
But if you do that, you just end up with a light roux. That won't work for the many recipes where a dark roux is essential. How could it?
The longer you cook a roux (i.e. the darker it becomes) the greater the reduction in thickening power.
My point, exactly. I was not suggesting a light roux for gumbo. A light roux (cooked briefly) is better used for thickening sauces, gravies, etc.
A dark roux does not give much of a thickening effect. It's used for the flavor and color. If you want a roux to thicken a sauce, it's better to use flour and butter, cooked briefly, just long enough to get the raw taste out of the flour.
But if you do that, you just end up with a light roux. That won't work for the many recipes where a dark roux is essential. How could it?
The longer you cook a roux (i.e. the darker it becomes) the greater the reduction in thickening power. In that case, use more roux so as to achieve the proper thickness. Any good recipe will take this into account
The darker the roux the more you need to use to achieve the same thickening power.
THank you for that - I had read that, but when it came time for cooking I had forgotten that. Since I didn't use one recipe but sort of combined many and threw it all together, I didn't really have a precise measurment for the roux. Nexxt time I will just make more, which is fine because it sure does smell yummy 🙂
My point, exactly. I was not suggesting a light roux for gumbo. A light roux (cooked briefly) is better used for thickening sauces, gravies, etc.
What about the many sauce and gravy recipes where a dark roux is essential?
Pound for pound light roux has better thickening power, but it's not a substitute for dark roux.
Julian wasn't suggesting it is. Just saying, to thicken, add some lighter roux (probably at the end) or the file powder (which is what I do) once it's off the heat. Okra, if used, also provides some thickening to gumbo during the cooking process *after* the dark roux.
Julian wasn't suggesting it is. Just saying, to thicken, add some lighter roux (probably at the end) or the file powder (which is what I do) once it's off the heat. Okra, if used, also provides some thickening to gumbo during the cooking process *after* the dark roux.
I'd never add light roux to a recipe requiring dark roux. Even a little, even at the end (especially at the end, actually). Light and dark have distinctly different tastes. Personal preference.
-- Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
Julian wasn't suggesting it is. Just saying, to thicken, add some lighter roux (probably at the end) or the file powder (which is what I do) once it's off the heat. Okra, if used, also provides some thickening to gumbo during the cooking process *after* the dark roux.
I'd never add light roux to a recipe requiring dark roux. Even a little, even at the end (especially at the end, actually). Light and dark have distinctly different tastes. Personal preference.
I was not suggesting that light roux should be added to a recipe that specifies dark roux. My only point was that a light roux (cooked only briefly) has more of a thickening effect than a dark roux, for those recipes where you want that effect. A light roux is often used in sauces and gravies. A dark roux has a more developed flavor, and is preferred for gumbo, etoufee, etc.
Julian wasn't suggesting it is. Just saying, to thicken, add some lighter roux (probably at the end) or the file powder (which is what I do) once it's off the heat. Okra, if used, also provides some thickening to gumbo during the cooking process *after* the dark roux.
I'd never add light roux to a recipe requiring dark roux. Even a little, even at the end (especially at the end, actually). Light and dark have distinctly different tastes. Personal preference.
I was not suggesting that light roux should be added to a recipe that specifies dark roux. My only point was that a light roux (cooked only briefly) has more of a thickening effect than a dark roux, for those recipes where you want that effect. A light roux is often used in sauces and gravies. A dark roux has a more developed flavor, and is preferred for gumbo, etoufee, etc.
Thanks for clarifying, Julian, that makes perfect sense. It's much clearer when you explain what you're saying rather than when Jill tries to do it for you 🙂
-- Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
First, thank you all for your help on the gumbo recipe. If nothing more, it helped me relax and realize that there isn't one particular way that gumbo should turn out.
My roux turned out really nice and brown - it was a bit thinner than I expected it to be but it added a wonderful taste to the gumbo and I loved the smell. It was my first experience with the dark roux - I liked it 🙂
I added some andoullie sausage, celery, peppers, onions, chicken, broth and okra (along with seasoning of course). I think for the most part it turned out fine - everyone said it was great - the whole pot got eaten. More successful were they gyros I made last night - but I will add that in a separate post
Glad to hear it turned out well, Roberta. Thanks for the feedback!
