Gumbo

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - there are about 40 zillion gumbo recipes
out there.

anyone have a tried and true recipe?
Roberta

They're all tried and true recipes! Pick one and do it.

Andy

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - there are about 40 zillion gumbo recipes
out there. I get the general idea....roux, broth, andoullie (don't
think I spelled that right) some other meat (have seen ham, chicken,
shrimp) some have okra some not...all served over rice

anyone have a tried and true recipe? I am leaning toward a non-seafood
one since I have every type of meat except that in the house. I have
rice and okra....

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I am
just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Thanks in advance for your help..

Roberta

Here's my tried 'n' true gumbo recipe. Feel free to make your own
substitutions and additions (like maybe a jar of oysters or some some
slice sausage links)

Bob's Turkey Gumbo
(adapted from a recipe in _Chile Pepper_ magazine, 1991)

2 large turkey legs
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 quarts water
2 pounds sliced okra
1/2 cup oil (divided)
1/2 cup flour
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 (20 ounce) can tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 large bay leaf
2 stalks celery
1 teaspoon each: cayenne, thyme, basil, black pepper
garlic powder (optional)

Boil or pressure-cook the turkey, water, bouillon cubes, and bay leaf
until meat is tender. Remove turkey legs from stock and allow to cool;
remove meat from bones, chop, set aside. Break the bones and add back to
stock, with skin, gristle, etc. Put on back burner to simmer. Meanwhile,
saute okra in 1/4 cup oil in a heavy pot until all ropiness is gone
(about 1 hour). Combine remaining 1/4 cup oil and flour in an iron
skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until flour is
chocolate brown. Be careful not to burn it! Add onions, celery, garlic
and bell pepper to the roux and saute until tender. Add roux-vegetables
mixture to the okra, add tomatoes, meat, strained turkey stock, cayenne,
black pepper and thyme. Add another bay leaf or two if you like bay
leaves. Simmer, partially covered for half hour. Add basil and salt,
simmer another 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and/or garlic
powder, if needed. Serve over long-grain white rice.

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob said:

Here's my tried 'n' true gumbo recipe. Feel free to make your own
substitutions and additions (like maybe a jar of oysters or some some
slice sausage links)

Bob's Turkey Gumbo
(adapted from a recipe in _Chile Pepper_ magazine, 1991)

2 large turkey legs
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 quarts water
2 pounds sliced okra
1/2 cup oil (divided)
1/2 cup flour
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 (20 ounce) can tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 large bay leaf
2 stalks celery
1 teaspoon each: cayenne, thyme, basil, black pepper
garlic powder (optional)

Quoted message said:

Howdy,

No filé? And you call it gumbo...? <g>

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Roberta said:

anyone have a tried and true recipe? I am leaning toward a non-seafood
one since I have every type of meat except that in the house. I have
rice and okra....

I posted this a few years ago but i'll save you the trouble of
searching-

I think I have some thing that will work for you. I socialize with a
fair number of people from S.W.Louisiana and I do get enjoy their great
music and food. Their gumbos generally go something like this.

Creole chicken and sausage gumbo

2 young chickens (fryers)
4 quarts water
1 yellow onion
1 stick celery
3 bay leaves
pinch of thyme

Cut the chickens into pieces. Reserve the legs, thighs, wings, and
breasts. Take the backs, necks and giblets and other ingredients
and simmer in the water for 1 hour. Strain the stock, let the
chicken cool and then pick off the edible meat.

2 tbsp. fat or oil
1 to 2 lb. sausage of the smoked, cured semi-dry type. [The main
flavors are usually smoke and garlic. Polish types often substitute
well for Louisiana sausages.] Slice into bite size pieces.
the reserved chicken
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 bell (sweet green) peppers, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
garlic to taste
1 cup Brown roux
reserved chicken stock
picked chicken meat
Cayenne pepper (or any hot dry chile) to taste
salt and pepper

Prepare roux ahead of time. I find it convenient to make large batches
and keep it in the refrigerator. (Bring to room temp. before using)
Anyway, to make roux use equal volumes of fat/oil. Heat the fat to
about 300 F. then stir in the flour using a whisk. Continue to stir
and cook until flour is a cocoa brown. Take off heat and continue to
stir a bit as it cools.

Back to the gumbo. Brown the chicken and sausage in the fat. Remove.
Soften the vegetables in the fat. Add the chicken stock and the
chicken. When the liquid is up to boiling add the roux and stir until
it is well mixed. Add s/p and cayenne to taste. The gumbo should
just have a bit of a tang to it; it should not be really "hot".
simmer for 1/2 hour. Add sausage. Simmer for 1/2 hour more and
you are ready to eat. Serve in soup bowls over 1 cup steamed white
rice.

D.M.

Andy said:

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - there are about 40 zillion gumbo recipes
out there.

anyone have a tried and true recipe?
Roberta

They're all tried and true recipes! Pick one and do it.

Andy

This is a troll, you do realize? If it searched zillions of gumbos, it's
seen your recipe at least 10 million times.

DON'T FEED THE TROLLS.

--
Andy
http://tinyurl.com/dzl7h

Roberta said:

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I
am just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Roberta

There you have it! No one was ever sure what gumbo was gonna be; the Cajuns
were true inventors of what the folks on alt.binaries.food call "musgovian"
cuisine - a.k.a., everything must go. That's sort of what gumbo means 🙂
It's basically just a thick vegetable stew with whatever meat you want (or
have) added to it, served over rice to stretch the meal.

I've had chicken gumbo, seafood gumbo, sausage gumbo, chicken/sausage gumbo,
and just plain vegetable gumbo. The word "gumbo" originated with African
slaves but was quickly adopted by Cajun & Creole cooks.

Okra thickens the stew but isn't necessary; I prefer to add it (and even use
frozen sliced okra! ha! Sue me). File powder (ground sassafras leaves)
added at the very end acts as an additional thickener and also adds a unique
taste (hence the phrase 'file gumbo'.)

Whatever you do will be fine as long as you have the roux down pat (stir,
stir, stir) and don't forget to saute in butter or bacon grease the holy
trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery... and to the stew add ground black
pepper, red (cayenne) pepper and white pepper.

Jill

Roberta said:

anyone have a tried and true recipe?

I never get tired of providing this webpage:

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/index.html

As I understand it, gumbos were made up of whatever is available,
whatever happens to be in the house. Learn the basics and create your
own.

nb

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - there are about 40 zillion gumbo recipes
out there. I get the general idea....roux, broth, andoullie (don't
think I spelled that right) some other meat (have seen ham, chicken,
shrimp) some have okra some not...all served over rice

anyone have a tried and true recipe? I am leaning toward a non-seafood
one since I have every type of meat except that in the house. I have
rice and okra....

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I am
just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Thanks in advance for your help..

Roberta

From what I hear, the secret to gumbo is the roux. If you can do that
well, you can add whatever (within reason) you like to make gumbo.

PS: There are different styles of roux... so you have to figure that
out before you get onto the gumbo part. The one I know of is called
"Mississippi Mud" by some (but roux can be lighter). A friend's
mother made me a quart of roux years ago, so I was able to pig out on
my "own" gumbo as long as it lasted. YUM!

sf said:

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - there are about 40 zillion gumbo recipes
out there. I get the general idea....roux, broth, andoullie (don't
think I spelled that right) some other meat (have seen ham, chicken,
shrimp) some have okra some not...all served over rice

anyone have a tried and true recipe? I am leaning toward a non-seafood
one since I have every type of meat except that in the house. I have
rice and okra....

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I am
just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Thanks in advance for your help..

Roberta

From what I hear, the secret to gumbo is the roux. If you can do that
well, you can add whatever (within reason) you like to make gumbo.

PS: There are different styles of roux... so you have to figure that
out before you get onto the gumbo part. The one I know of is called
"Mississippi Mud" by some (but roux can be lighter). A friend's
mother made me a quart of roux years ago, so I was able to pig out on
my "own" gumbo as long as it lasted. YUM!

Roux I can do (and rhyme too *G*) I have never done the darker one- but
I plan to try for this...the shade of chocolate is what I am gathering
from websites etc...

Thank you 🙂

Roberta (in VA)

notbob said:

Roberta said:

anyone have a tried and true recipe?

I never get tired of providing this webpage:

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/index.html

As I understand it, gumbos were made up of whatever is available,
whatever happens to be in the house. Learn the basics and create your
own.

nb

I actually found that page - the shrimp heads in the stock sorta scared
me away lol

Thank you for the link...

It definatly will help me figure out how to make the gumbo..

Roberta (in VA)

jmcquown said:

Roberta said:

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I
am just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Roberta

There you have it! No one was ever sure what gumbo was gonna be; the Cajuns
were true inventors of what the folks on alt.binaries.food call "musgovian"
cuisine - a.k.a., everything must go. That's sort of what gumbo means 🙂
It's basically just a thick vegetable stew with whatever meat you want (or
have) added to it, served over rice to stretch the meal.

I've had chicken gumbo, seafood gumbo, sausage gumbo, chicken/sausage gumbo,
and just plain vegetable gumbo. The word "gumbo" originated with African
slaves but was quickly adopted by Cajun & Creole cooks.

Okra thickens the stew but isn't necessary; I prefer to add it (and even use
frozen sliced okra! ha! Sue me). File powder (ground sassafras leaves)
added at the very end acts as an additional thickener and also adds a unique
taste (hence the phrase 'file gumbo'.)

Whatever you do will be fine as long as you have the roux down pat (stir,
stir, stir) and don't forget to saute in butter or bacon grease the holy
trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery... and to the stew add ground black
pepper, red (cayenne) pepper and white pepper.

Jill

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is - nor where to find it...I
think this time I will have to pass. I do, however, have okra. Mine is
frozen as well - I really have an aversion to the fresh stuff.. when I
was young my grandparent grew it, it's very very slimy. My Granddaddy
used to eat the stuff boiled with stewed tomatoes and Lord knows
what...it was so nasty looking!

Roberta (in VA)

Roberta said:

jmcquown said:

Roberta said:

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before
I
am just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Roberta

There you have it! No one was ever sure what gumbo was gonna be;
the Cajuns were true inventors of what the folks on
alt.binaries.food call "musgovian" cuisine - a.k.a., everything must
go. That's sort of what gumbo means 🙂 It's basically just a thick
vegetable stew with whatever meat you want (or have) added to it,
served over rice to stretch the meal.

I've had chicken gumbo, seafood gumbo, sausage gumbo,
chicken/sausage gumbo, and just plain vegetable gumbo. The word
"gumbo" originated with African slaves but was quickly adopted by
Cajun & Creole cooks.

Okra thickens the stew but isn't necessary; I prefer to add it (and
even use frozen sliced okra! ha! Sue me). File powder (ground
sassafras leaves) added at the very end acts as an additional
thickener and also adds a unique taste (hence the phrase 'file
gumbo'.)

Whatever you do will be fine as long as you have the roux down pat
(stir, stir, stir) and don't forget to saute in butter or bacon
grease the holy trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery... and to
the stew add ground black pepper, red (cayenne) pepper and white
pepper.

Jill

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is - nor where to find
it...I
think this time I will have to pass. I do, however, have okra. Mine
is frozen as well - I really have an aversion to the fresh stuff..
when I
was young my grandparent grew it, it's very very slimy. My Granddaddy
used to eat the stuff boiled with stewed tomatoes and Lord knows
what...it was so nasty looking!

Roberta (in VA)

Oddly enough, you might find file powder by the seafood counter at the
grocery store. Zatarains sells it in jars. Link below

http://www.zatarain.com/products/product.php/68/Seasoning_and_Spices/Gumbo_Fil%E9
or
http://tinyurl.co.uk/wlvf

Jill

"notbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Roberta said:

anyone have a tried and true recipe?

I never get tired of providing this webpage:

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/index.html

As I understand it, gumbos were made up of whatever is available,
whatever happens to be in the house. Learn the basics and create your
own.

nb

After reading "Sacramento Magic in a Small-Town Cafe" by Reinhart" p. 79-88,
he describes gumbo as being all in the roux. The lightest being a constant
stirring of 15 minutes and the darkest up to and no more than 45 minutes.
His roux recipe is 2-1/2 cups oil (either canola, peanut or safflower) and 1
cup unbleached all-purpose flour. THEN, you add the roux to the gumbo OR
soup stock, without getting lumps for which he gives tips.

He refers to Wynton Marsalis saying that blues in the root of all music as
"the roux is to the gumbo."

Dee Dee

"Roberta" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:lLYPe.3212$dm.1077@lakeread03...

Quoted message said:

jmcquown said:

Roberta said:

I know I can just pick and choose - but never having made it before I
am just not sure what's gonna be good 🙂

Roberta

There you have it! No one was ever sure what gumbo was gonna be; the
Cajuns
were true inventors of what the folks on alt.binaries.food call
"musgovian"
cuisine - a.k.a., everything must go. That's sort of what gumbo means 🙂
It's basically just a thick vegetable stew with whatever meat you want
(or
have) added to it, served over rice to stretch the meal.

I've had chicken gumbo, seafood gumbo, sausage gumbo, chicken/sausage
gumbo,
and just plain vegetable gumbo. The word "gumbo" originated with African
slaves but was quickly adopted by Cajun & Creole cooks.

Okra thickens the stew but isn't necessary; I prefer to add it (and even
use
frozen sliced okra! ha! Sue me). File powder (ground sassafras leaves)
added at the very end acts as an additional thickener and also adds a
unique
taste (hence the phrase 'file gumbo'.)

Whatever you do will be fine as long as you have the roux down pat (stir,
stir, stir) and don't forget to saute in butter or bacon grease the holy
trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery... and to the stew add ground
black
pepper, red (cayenne) pepper and white pepper.

Jill

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is - nor where to find it...I
think this time I will have to pass. I do, however, have okra. Mine is
frozen as well - I really have an aversion to the fresh stuff.. when I was
young my grandparent grew it, it's very very slimy. My Granddaddy used to
eat the stuff boiled with stewed tomatoes and Lord knows what...it was so
nasty looking!

Roberta (in VA)

Penzy's sells file.
Yum, yum, okra, slimy & all.
Dee Dee
Shenandoah Valley, VA

Roberta said:

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is

Hello again,

It is actually finely ground sassafras leaves and has a
wonderful "smoky" taste and aroma...

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On Sat 27 Aug 2005 08:48:06a, Kenneth wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Roberta said:

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is

Hello again,

It is actually finely ground sassafras leaves and has a
wonderful "smoky" taste and aroma...

All the best,

CAUTION: Once file powder is added to gumbo or other dish, do not allow the
liquid to boil or it will get "stringy". File powder is used both for
flavoring and thickening.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four,
unless there are three other people.

Roberta said:

I actually found that page - the shrimp heads in the stock sorta scared
me away lol

When I don't have shrimp heads, which is most of the time, I use Knorr
shrimp bouillon cubes. Look for 'em in oriental markets or online.

nb

Roberta said:

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is - nor where to find it...I
think this time I will have to pass.

Just ask when you're in the grocery store next time. I bet they have
it! The bottle I see most is around 3" tall and narrow, so it's easy
to miss.

Dee Randall said:

he describes gumbo as being all in the roux. The lightest being a constant
stirring of 15 minutes and the darkest up to and no more than 45 minutes.

I can't imagine anyone spending 15-45 mins making a simple roux. My
technique calls for a copper bottomed SS pan and a hi-temp silicon
spatula. I crank the heat right up under the smoking point and keep
that roux a-movin'. I can get a fudgesicle brown roux in about eight
minutes.

nb