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Gumbo Guys - What Do You Like? (1 Viewer)

Doug B said:
This is one of the secrets to making killer gumbo in quantity for an event -- give it an overnight in the fridge.

...

Sacrilege: Fiddling around with the roux is overrated. Getting it dark brick/dirty penny color might taste a little better, but it's not a night-and-day difference from either (a) peanut-butter colored roux or (b) oven roux.

Sacrilege II: The type of sausage barely matters, so long as it doesn't have a firm, tough casing. Throw in whatever type you like.
Click to expand...
I tried summer sausage last night....

 
Da Guru said:
What are you going to do if you make it in sober February??
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I don't know, but we're going to find out.  I threw a whole chicken on the Weber last night with a smoke box smoldering.  Stripped off all the chicken and threw the carcass and skin into a giant pot for stock.  All this talk of gumbo has me craving so it's on tap for tonight.  Will test my resolve something fierce! 

 
Chicken gumbo? I only make gumbo w/crab, shrimp and sausage. That might be why you don't like yours, there's no crab or shrimp in it  😁

For roux I can usually get it pretty dark in about 45 min. I jist keep stirring and take it off the direct heat from time to time for a minute or two while cooking so it doesnt scortch. 

I also cook my roux to semi dark because I want it to thicken the gumbo up a bit (but not too much). As it gets darker you lose the thickening properties but gain flavor depth, so I try to balance it somewhere in between. I also use butter instead of oil for roux...I like to think it gives the gumbo a richness you can't get with oil, but that might be all in my head.

I usually use both chicken and shrimp stock. I usually have chicken stock on hand in my freezer and I buy unpeeled shrimp for the gumbo and use the shells to make the shrimp stock. The last time I made gumbo I used fish stock instead of chicken stock because I had it on hand...I won't do that again. I should have saved it for chowder.

Something in your recipe caught my eye - adding clam juice to the stock. I just may add a little next time and see how that turns out.

 
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What are folks thinking regarding how spicy Gumbo should be? I have seen various degrees of spiciness online and in cookbooks. Traditional/authentic vs. personal taste?

TIA
 
Hastur said:
What are folks thinking regarding how spicy Gumbo should be? I have seen various degrees of spiciness online and in cookbooks. Traditional/authentic vs. personal taste?

TIA
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I assume spicy refers specifically to heat.

I throw in one or two dried Serranos (I dry my own) into the pot, and that's about it as far as heat goes. For extra heat, I add hot sauce to the bowl after serving and I always have fresh chiles on the side.
 
For the record, I have never been to Louisiana. I'd love some native Louisiana folk to chime in and correct this if I have my facts wrong.

After reading many different opinions regarding gumbo on many different websites, there are basically two camps of thinking.

Cajun: No tomatoes and don't mix seafood with other proteins. This is mainly inland.

Creole: Yes to tomatoes and mixing seafood with other proteins. This is near the lower portion of the state.

I've also read you can obtain a true 'authentic' gumbo recipe, drive 30 minutes down the road, and the recipe changes. Very regional differences throughout the state of Louisiana.
 
Hastur said:
For the record, I have never been to Louisiana. I'd love some native Louisiana folk to chime in and correct this if I have my facts wrong.

After reading many different opinions regarding gumbo on many different websites, there are basically two camps of thinking.

Cajun: No tomatoes and don't mix seafood with other proteins. This is mainly inland.

Creole: Yes to tomatoes and mixing seafood with other proteins. This is near the lower portion of the state.

I've also read you can obtain a true 'authentic' gumbo recipe, drive 30 minutes down the road, and the recipe changes. Very regional differences throughout the state of Louisiana.
Click to expand...
This is all pretty accurate. Gumbos are like snowflakes in that no two are exactly alike. Everybody considers whatever they make to be the "right way", but nobody really considers any others to be wrong. My brother and I cook two totally different things that don't taste or look alike, but it's mostly the same ingredients and they are both definitely gumbo. Neither one of us uses tomatoes, but my gf does. :shrug:
I've seen a couple of ingredients posted in here that people use that I would never consider, nor have I ever heard of being used in a gumbo, but I don't think it makes them not a gumbo.
 
I might have try that oven method sometime. Roux is one of those things that I have no experience with, and the normal method seems way too labor-intensive and easy-to-screw-up for me.
 
ragincajun said:
I am now an Oven Roux guy. I also use peanut oil.
www.thespruceeats.com

How to Make a Dark Roux in the Oven

This dark (chocolate) oven roux recipe is relatively easy to make and less labor intensive compared to other roux recipes.
www.thespruceeats.com www.thespruceeats.com
Click to expand...
I'm totally doing this next time I make roux. The stovetop method is such a pain in the arse.

General Malaise said:
ragincajun said:
I am now an Oven Roux guy. I also use peanut oil.
www.thespruceeats.com

How to Make a Dark Roux in the Oven

This dark (chocolate) oven roux recipe is relatively easy to make and less labor intensive compared to other roux recipes.
www.thespruceeats.com www.thespruceeats.com
Click to expand...

Probably a dumb question, but is the lid to the Dutch Oven on or off when you cook it in the oven? Imagine off, but I'm a real dumdum sometimes.
Click to expand...
No lid or cover.
 
On the oven method, when it says, "Stir every 20 minutes", how much stiring is it? Like a 5 seconds or a lot?
 
Joe Bryant said:
On the oven method, when it says, "Stir every 20 minutes", how much stiring is it? Like a 5 seconds or a lot?
Click to expand...
From the link:

"stirring it thoroughly every 20 minutes"

Whether it takes you 10 seconds or 30 seconds doesn't really matter, as long as it gets a good stir.
 
Wingnut said:
Joe Bryant said:
On the oven method, when it says, "Stir every 20 minutes", how much stiring is it? Like a 5 seconds or a lot?
Click to expand...
From the link:

"stirring it thoroughly every 20 minutes"

Whether it takes you 10 seconds or 30 seconds doesn't really matter, as long as it gets a good stir.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Just read the intro and it said, "Just set the timer for 20 minutes and stir each time the timer rings." and didn't read further.

I'll give it try with Alton Brown's link and see how it goes.
 
Yep a good stir is all that’s required. Essentially turning over the mixture so as to not burn.

I find that I can get a darker roux easier hence more flavor.
 
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