Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo Recipes

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the 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.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, over medium heat, heat oil until hot.
• Add flour, whisking constantly.
• As roux turns from sand colour to light brown to caramel colour, turn down heat.
• Continue cooking and whisking constantly until roux is a dark brown colour.
• Increase heat to medium and add garlic, yellow onions, celery and bell peppers to roux.
• Cook 10 minutes.
• Add oregano, thyme and cayenne.
• Add clam juice, water, green onions and parsley, stirring until combined; bring to a gentle boil; Reduce heat to low, and simmer.
• Add white fish and shrimp, cook for 10 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and Tabasco.
• Reduce heat to extremely low and simmer covered, for 1 hour- stirring frequently to prevent flour from burning.
• Remove from heat and serve over white rice.

Steps:

• In a large heavy Dutch oven, combine the oil & flour over medium heat stirring constantly for about 25-30 minutes, to make a dark brown roux. This step didn't take me that long but for Gumbo it should ideally be a dark reddish brown, be very careful not to burn.
• Add the onion, bellpepper & celery and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until veggies are soft.
• Add the water/chicken stock & blend into the roux mixture.
• Add the bay leaves & thyme.
• Season the chicken with salt and cayenne.
• Add the chicken to the roux-water mixture & simmer for 1 hour.
• Add the andouille sausage & cook for 1 hour more, or until chicken is tender.
• Skim off any oil that has risen to the surface. Remove the bay leaves.
• Check seasonings. Add more salt & cayenne if necessary.
• Add the green onion & parsley.
• Serve immediately in soup bowls over steamed rice.
• File powder can be passed around the table so that guests can add it to the gumbo according to individual tastes.