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How to Make Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo - A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to iconic dishes, few can match the rich history and deliciousness of a good New Orleans Creole gumbo. This staple of Louisiana cuisine has become a symbol of the city's diverse and vibrant culinary heritage. Gumbo is a beautiful blend of West African, French, Spanish, and Native American influences, making it a truly unique and flavorful dish that has stood the test of time.

Rooted in the rich cultural traditions of New Orleans, Creole gumbo is a dish that brings people...

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup bacon drippings
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 3 quarts water
  • 6 cubes beef bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's®), or to taste
  • 4 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 4 teaspoons file powder, divided
  • 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
  • 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 pound lump crabmeat
  • 3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Information

  • Prep Time: 1 hr
  • Cook Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
  • Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
  • Servings: 20
  • Yield: 20 servings

  • Gather all ingredients.
  • Make the roux: Whisk together flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Cook roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
  • Make the gumbo: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped.
  • Stir vegetables into the roux, and mix in sausage. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Combine water and beef bouillon cubes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until bouillon cubes dissolve, then whisk roux mixture into the boiling water.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and mix in sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
  • Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add okra and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes; remove okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.
  • Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.
  • Serve hot and enjoy!

    • Nutrition

    283 cal.

    • Total Fat: 17g
    • Saturated Fat: 6g
    • Cholesterol: 143mg
    • Sodium: 853mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 12g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Total Sugars: 3g
    • Protein: 21g
    • Vitamin C: 19mg
    • Calcium: 81mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 428mg

    Categories

    Seafood recipes
    Meat recipes
    Poultry recipes
    Vegetable recipes
    Sausage recipes