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Gumbo - Chicken and Sausage  
Added on: 14-Oct-2007 Hits: 84 Rating: 10.0 (1 Vote) - Details
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Recipe Text:

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken
2 Rings Smoke Sausage
1-2 lbs of Peeled Shrimp (Optional for some - mandatory for others)
2 Onions
1 Celery Bunch
3 Green Peppers
Okra - 2 bags of frozen cut up - (not the veggie mix) Fresh is better if can get it but can be costly. at least 2 lbs if fresh.
1 large can of Tomato Puree
2 cans of whole tomatoes - peeled
Garlic
Flour
Peanut Oil - Canola will do also (Do not use Olive Oil)
Did I mention Garlic
Garlic Salt
Creole Seasoning Salt (optional)
Pepper
1 Large Bottle of Crystal Hot Sauce - (This is the brand that I prefer)
Rice - large white grain (best if steamed)
Filet Powder - for the finished dish


Chicken Stock - First Step:
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1 Big Pot
1 Big Whole Chicken
2 Gallon Water in Big Pot
1 Big Stove
Full Propane Cylinder

Place Entire Chicken in approx 2 gallons of water - just drop em in.

Spice and fixins:
Bay leaf - 1 or 2 (Make sure they are intact and not going to break apart)
Garlic
1/2 to 3/4 of 1 Onion - chopped medium
3-4 Stalks of Celery Chopped


Cook until the meat falls off all tbe bones - this takes about 2 hours.
Use a slotted spoon or a wire basket spoon to remove all bones - you will leave a bone or 2 behind but they will get over it.

Also be sure to fish out the 2 bay leaves you put in there and discard them - they have added thier part to the gumbo and it's time for them to leave - they can be bitter if bitten into if found in a gumbo bowl.

Preperation for the Rest:
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1. Put in the Can of Tomato puree into pot

2. Open and drain the cans of whole tomato and crush the tomatoes by hand and tear them up into smaller pieces - add to pot


3. Smoked sausage - for this at least 2 rings - 3 if a bigger batch - Cut up into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 thick.

Fry the smoked sausage in large frying pan with a little oil, garlic, garlic salt and creole seasoning salt. - fry till crispy.
Put entire pan of sausage and drippings into the pot - take a cup of the broth and deglaze the pan and dump back into the pot - there's flavor in that don't waste it

4. Hot Sauce - I add about 4 ounces or soof Crystal hot sauce at this time - it may or may not be enough - more can be added later - this just gets the ball rolling.

5. Onion, Celery and Green Bell Pepper -
Chop remaing onion - medium chop (not small but not biger than a nickel)
Chop Remainng Celery - stay away from the large bottoms of stalk - and slice larger pieces in half.
Bell Pepper - seed the pepper and slice up and chop
Put the Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper in a container - together
Add a few spoon fulls of chopped garlic to it and set aside

Roux - can't have gumbo with out it.
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Roux is a mixture of Oil and Flour - you are basically toasting the flour in the oil as a solution - because of this you have to stir and stir and stir - if you stop stirring it will burn. The flour will fall out of solution and burn on the bottom of the pan.

There are many degrees of Roux - some are a white roux which isn't hardly toasted at all and the other end of the extreme is a black roux - flour is almost burnt - Roux Life is risky on the edge of a black roux and I don't go that far - I aim for about peanut butter color.

The roux is a thickening agent and is what gives the Gumbo it's texture and a lot of flavor.

In this Roux we are going to add the chopped celery, onion and pepper and garlic mixture to it at one point - the thing to remember is when you do that the Roux will darken a few more shades and can burn even quicker once the veggies are added - but you have to add them because that is how you cook them and you have to cook them until they are tender.

Now to making roux

Large Skillet on the stove
1. Peanut or Canola Oil - add approx 2-3 cups - saddly I can't tell you how much exactly - you can always make more roux - it's hard to take it out if you added too much.

2. Start to heat the oil- medium heat.
3. While starting to heat start stirring and while stirring - start adding flour - add the same amount of flour as you did oil - Add it slow - stirring out any clumps - but get it added before the oil gets hot. and don't stop stirring.

4 If it seems watery - add more flour - just don't get too thick a soupy texture is about right - it will thicken. Oh and keep stirring.

5. Keep Stirring - stir the entire surface of the bottom of the pan - get a rythym going - scour the entire bottom - You don't want the flour sticking - oh and use a wooden spoon - it works the best - doens't melt and doesn't get hot like a metal one. And keep stirring.

6. The mixture should start to lightly boil and you will notice the flour starting to darken and a toasty smell - keep stirring and watch the color change.

7. Once it gets to about Peanut Butter color or a little lighter - add the Garlic, Pepper, Celery and Oninons to it - be sure you have a big enough skillet to handle everything plus some as it will foam up a bit as you add the veggies to the hot roux mix.....and you guessed it keep stirring.

8. You want to cook it all until the veggies are lightly crisp but tender - the bell pepper is your best indicator of this as it will take the longest - the celery is done when the pepper is and the onions will be tender long before the others.

9. Remove from the heat - notice how much darker the roux got with the cooking of the veggies - you should be close to a light carmel or butterscotch color.

10. Pull out a cup of broth from the pot before you add the roux.

11. Add the roux to the pot

12 Deglaze the roux pan with the cup of broth and add back to the pot.

13 Stir in your roux.



Final Stuff for Gumbo:
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Add the Okra - the Okra will thicken the Gumbo even more.

Now is an important time - you need to test it - this is a cooks right all together and smack any one around who whines for a sample - you need to access it's need for other things - more hot sauce - more roux - more what ever. I suggest tasting it a few times over a period of time - the gumbo needs to simmer a while to let everything get acquainted in there and the flavors mix - your just the hall monitor and need to make sure everyone gets along.

Stir well. and set the heat so the gumbo simmers - a light roll is fine but stir occasionally. Stir it at least every 10 minutes so it doesn't stick - it needs to simmer for a while - 1 hour possibly 2 - makes it better.

Shrimp
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Shrimp shouldn't be added to your gumbo until last - they will fall apart - the same goes for crawfish - wait till your about to eat - and add say 15 minutes before then - this will give the shrimp time to cook in the gumbo and pick up flavor. Make sure they are peeled and washed.

Now the Rice:
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The rice should be timed with when you want to server the gumbo - it is best to cook it and when it's done - eat - cold rice don't cut it man.

I like a steamed rice over a boiled rice but that isn't always a possibility especially while camping - at home and where I can access power I have a rice steamer that I use - it makes the best rice. you just follow the instructions for them as they are - for the other method.....
You may have to make more than 1 batch of rice - I dont' like doubling rice - I mess it up so I cook it twice or have 2 pots going at once.

Start with a large sauce pan and water You want about 2 cups of water.
Bring the water to a boil and add 1 cup of rice.
Stirr often until it starts to swell - keep a cup of water around just in case you need to add a little more - remember rice will swell and fill the pan so be patient. When the rice has boiled almost dry remove it from the heat and serve.

Serving Gumbo
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Gumbo is typically eaten over rice - it ain't gumbo if it isn't over rice - not over rice is just soup.

Also they can add more hot sauce if they want.

Gumbo File powder should also be added - sprinkle a little on - it adds flavor and can thicken slightly too - it is a Cajun tradition.

("Gumbo Filé" is sassafras leaves dried and ground to a fine powder and is a common gumbo thickener and spice, particularly in and around SW Louisiana. It is wise to use sparingly initially, until you decide how much you like it; it does have a distinctive flavor)

Serve with a big glass of sweet tea and eat till your eyes pop out.
Enjoy