Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 20

 

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup bacon drippings

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

One large onion, coarsely chopped

One large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Two cloves garlic, minced

1 lb andouille sausage, sliced

3 quarts water 6 cubes beef bouillon

1 tbsp. white sugar salt to taste

2 tbsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste

½ tsp. Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere’s), or to taste

Four bay leaves

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 (14.5 oz.) can of stewed tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can tomato sauce

Four tsp. file powder, divided

2 tbsp. bacon drippings

2 (10 oz.) packages of frozen cut okra, thawed

2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 lb lump crabmeat

3 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

Directions:

Assemble all the components. Creating the roux In a big, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk flour and 3/4 cup bacon fat until smooth.

Roux should be heated while regularly whisked until it turns a deep mahogany color. This could take 20 to 30 minutes; keep an eye on the heat and whisk periodically to prevent burning.

Take the pan off the heat and keep whisking until the mixture stops cooking. Preparing the gumbo When all the vegetables are very finely chopped, add celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic to the work bowl of a food processor.

Sausage and vegetables are mixed into the roux. Over medium-low heat, bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until veggies are fork-tender. Heat has been removed; set aside.

Large Dutch oven or soup pot filled with water and beef bouillon cubes brought to a boil over high heat. Whisk the roux mixture after stirring into the boiling water until the bouillon cubes have dissolved.

Add sugar, salt, spicy sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce after simulating the heat.

Cook the soup for 1 hour on low heat, adding 2 tbsp. File gumbo powder after 45 minutes. Melt 2 tbsp. Of bacon drippings in a pan over medium heat in the meantime. Okra and vinegar should be added.

After 15 minutes, incorporate the okra with a slotted spoon into the simmering gumbo. Stir in the saved veggies, crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes to let the flavors meld. Just before serving, add two extra tbsp. of file gumbo powder.