Made this gumbo using the dry roux method yesterday for dinner. It was amazing! If you hate the idea of standing over your stovetop for 45 minutes or more to make gumbo roux, then this method is for you! Thanks ATS for showing me a different method of making one of my favorite dishes! BTW next time, add okra!
I’m from south Louisiana and my grandmother used to tell me there are as many ways to make gumbo as there are folks that cook it. There is a set of techniques and ingredients commonly used, but it’s not written in stone and you put what you like (lol as long as it’s within the ingredients commonly used in Louisiana...things like clams and kale will leave you with no friends here).
@@Renee_nf094e I saw that once and it was from a black family and I was like wtf... I guess they were either too poor to buy smoked sausage or andouille and wanted a similar flavor in their gumbo so they used hot dogs or they just used what they had in the fridge instead of going buy sausage... but I wouldn’t recommend that and it’s not something you see regularly...
Thank you ladies and gentlemen I am always looking for tips and tricks for my favorite foods. Gumbo, Red beans and Rice great American food. I recently went to New Orleans and had Gumbo at some of the finest restaurants. Not one of the was alike and they all claimed to be Authentic. I have had authentic southern Fried chicken 40 ways. This was just another way. I am a fan of Okra in mine.
Every through that is not how I make my cajun gumbo, as learned from my multiple cajun "mommas," I can see that working very well. It certainly looks like a perfectly viable alternative for cooks who get nervous about making a traditional dark roux from flour and fat in a cast iron pot. For the doubters, the main thickening comes from the roux. I add okra to mine, because I like it. I put file on the table for people to indulge their particular tastes, as well as Tabasco and Louisiana Hot Sauce. So, nice job. Cajun Gumbo is a "bucket list" food, so any short cut that doesn't mess up the basic flavor is fine with me. One tiny little thing, you never serve gumbo over rice, You serve a big scoop of rice on top of your gumbo. You don't want your rice to soak up too much gumbo before it goes into your mouth.
Totally agree Glenn!! I also like to put in some okra but I love a lil bit File in the pot as well as a seasoning. I'm hungry now!! LOL ((Hugs)) from Texas!! xx ; )
I just made the gumbo. One thing I found is, my roux only took 38 minutes to cook, as opposed to their 45-55 minutes. I did use a dark pan, so maybe that was it. Also, my roux was slightly darker than theirs, despite the shorter cooking time. A variation I did, after reading the comments here, was to brown the chicken for a few minutes and also render the sausage for a minute or two. I also added a small bag of frozen okra. Sorry, but gumbo has to have okra! Finally, I lightly seasoned the raw chicken with Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, which I found at Kroger. The gumbo is fantastic, btw !
I'm originally from N.O., as are my mom, grandma & GGmother & though, as is typical, we each have different creole-style (as opposed to cajun) ways of making it, none of us would put okra in chicken & sausage gumbo. And though my Dad (RIP) was from Montana, his gumbo recipes/methods may legit be best of all since he loved to eat well & picked up tips from his cajun hunting & fishing buddies but even he wouldn't have ever added that to this dish either. In fact, most of us would probably only use okra in "okra corn & tomato" gumbo. That doesn't mean it's *wrong* to add okra to this, but this is simply to remind other people that anyone who says that "All gumbo has to have ____(fill in the blank)" might have limited experience with how it's authentically offered beyond their own mom/dad/grandma's table in their own region.
"A recipe isn't law, it's a recommendation. If you don't like something take it out. If you want to add to it, go right ahead. It's that simple." -Marco Pierre White Brought to you by Knorr Stock Pot.
@@ellemdee276, my wife wouldn't have added okra either until she had mine this past summer. She made her version this past weekend and it had okra in it.🤷🏼♂️
I've made this several times and it is damn good! And yes, I've had (and made) authentic gumbo. Considering the ease and foolproof method, I am really impressed. For those gumbo snobs out there, please try this before turning up your nose. I know there's lots of tradition tied to this dish, but give it a chance. And yeah, I've modified this to my own version using both okra and file and other spices.
Cooking is cooking....there are 100 variations to make a single dish taste "good". As a chef, I appreciate different technical approaches to obtaining 1 goal.....to make the taster enjoy my food. If you choose to make a dish told and taught to you one way, then fine, don't change it. But, if you are looking to eliminate a few steps in the preparation while STILL maintaining the integrity then listen and learn. That is what ATK is ALL ABOUT !
@ML Lawson I dont claim anything to be authentic that I make,I make things my own way with I have. I also have worked in the restaurant industry for 8 years I know a thing or two
I have this friend who was going out of town for a while, and who dropped off a big bag of shrimp that probably wasn't going to wait for him to return. We had some anduille sausage in the freezer that wasn't getting any better with age, and some ham left over from the holidays. Plus, I like cajun food. But being a yankee who didn't learn how to prepare a hot dog until I got divorced in my 40's, I had no idea how to make this stuff. So I followed the instructions almost EXACTLY as they were shown, the only exceptions being the addition of the shrimp and some ham, a couple bags of frozen okra, and the fact that I tripled the amount of ingredients. I have friends, you see. "Go big or go home" is my mantra when cooking. So in the end, I wound up with damn near 2 gallons of what's destined to become racoon-food if it doesn't turn out well. How'd it go? It was EPIC. "Best damn pot of anything I ever made in my life" is how it went. And everybody who's taken a tubbie home with them thinks so too. Thanks ladies. You made my cooking skills seem much better than they really are.
I made this recipe. First I sauteed the vegetables with 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) instead of 1 tablespoon. The flavor was deep from the toasted flour, but the texture is off since a roux is equal parts oil and flour. It also didn't seem thin enough even before sitting for a while. I also agree that searing the meats prior to inserting into liquid would make all the difference. It just needed the extra flavor and about 1/2 the flour... unless you make a traditional roux so that the flour is all coated in oil.
My favorite part of the recipes presented is the fact that the ATK Chefs "shorten" a vast majority of their chosen dish's prep/cooking. Yes, I understand about editing. But, still, if you pay attention to the narration, you learn how they've done a fair amount, to most' of the prep/cooking "hands-off". The 1c of flour in the oven instead of standing over the stove forever with your roux, is a perfect example. Thank you, Bridget, Julia, all of the other talented Chef Presenters, & especially all of the dedicated ATK Chefs. p.s. One big, infinite "Thank You!" for NO OKRA, YAY! 😘 Cheers & God Bless
I have a number of notes. You should brown your meats first especially if you are going to brown your veg. You can do it without adding any oil that way. Also, I think it’s fine to do the roux dry but you lose some ability to customize the darkness and therefore flavor by doing it in the oven. You can also toast it in a skillet on the stove top while whisking if you want to do it dry. My preference is to use a cast iron skillet, brown the sausage first. Then use that grease to brown chicken, rendering the oil. Then brown your oil in the same pan, oil or not, whisking all the way. If you do add a little oil, when you reach the desired color, Then quench with aromatics. Once you have done so add a bit of stock, and add to stock pot.
Ladies Thank You So Much. Made this Gumbo Recipe 8-17-23 Perfect, simply Perfect. The only tweak was added large shrimp. I never did the oven baked flour and I will always and forever make my roux this way, forever. Thank You So Much. It's The Best. Can't tell the difference between stove stop liquid roux from the oven. Less time, worry and concern about making the roux. Yes indeed it's foolproof. Thanks Again.
I lived in Louisiana for nearly a decade, and I can count on one hand all the gumbos I ate that had okra in it. As far as I could tell, most people don't use it. At the end of the day, gumbo is one of those dishes that has as many recipes as there are people who make it (and there are a lot), and each one never makes it the same way twice. 🤷♂️ But they'll all still tell you theirs is the best. 😂
@@TheWibbo Yes, but colloquially in the States the words mean two different things now; one a vegetable, the other a stew. And I just don't want slimey okra in my chicken and sausage gumbo. I don't like filé (powdered sassafras) in it either for the same reason; add too much (which is easy to do) and it can make it slimey. Call me weird, but I just don't like eating foods that have the consistency of snot, regardless of where the words themselves originated or what they originally meant but no longer do so here.
I made the Gumbo this past Sunday. It came out AWESOME! At first I was worried about the smell of the roux, somewhere between burnt popcorn and coffee being roasted. However, it all turned out great!
The sausage needs to be seared, but I find in my gumbos that the chicken thigh works way better just braised, but I use homemade stock anyway so the chicken flavor is already there.
AnAristotelian Yes, and the trinity should be layered in celery first, peppers second, and then onions, followed at the end with the garlic and any herbs, I. E. thyme, parsley, etc.
Hint from a Southerner - The word "Gumbo" is an African Swahili term meaning okra. Okra and roux are the thickening agents in all gumbos. "First you make a roux" is oftentimes the being instructions in Southern cooking. Slow cooking sifted salted flour in oil in an iron skillet while stirring continually or oven baking it develops the rich nut-like flavor as the heat fragments the starch molecules. This will diminish the thickening power of the flour. Interestingly, the color will darkened more when hot water is added to complete the process. If you brown the roux flour until it's the color you desire, you may end up with a burned would-be roux that must be discarded. In years past, when a young man would announce that he was in love and found a girl he wanted to marry, his father would ask, "Son, can she make a roux?" LOL
This is my second time using this recipe. This year (2021), I made a batch as a Christmas gift for my foodie Mother-in-Law. The challenge is she CANNOT handle spicy food! I always approach recipes as a base for my own version (I tweak them to my own taste); but with this recipe & my Mom's taste-buds being as tender as they are, I stuck EXACTLY to this version. It came out PERFECT. The roux method was FULLPROOF. The finished gumbo was full of complex flavors without being too spicy/hot! I packaged a healthy portion of the gumbo with some rice and a cornbread mix she loves................ I'm hoping the gift is a hit!
I’m Louisiana Cajun Creole & our families File’ Gumbo was handed down to me by my Father’s mother, my Granny who taught my mother how to make it, a traditional authentic Gumbo always begins with the roux, otherwise you’re just making soup & then adding a roux.
I cook my chicken thigh, sausage and spices in oil first for color, deepening flavor and fond development….then add vegetables, then add the both. Since this is dry roux, yes, I would mix it with a cup of cold broth then add it to the gumbo pot. I also successfully make roux in the microwave with equal parts vegetable oil and flour in a Pyrex measuring cup…2 minute increments…..it comes out perfectly.
I love gumbo because its a great way to reincarnate all your left-overs. Couple of thoughts - doesn't the recipe need sassafras (AKA gumbo file) to be real N.O. gumbo? I personally dont find gumbo authentic without it. Also...about the flour toasting in the oven idea - 50 minutes, huh!- I have an even better idea - for years the way i've made roux for chili - just toast the 1/2 cup flour in a pan. Keep the flour moving faster the longer the elapsed time - dont let it sit and burn. By 10 minutes it will really start browning quickly and by 15 you are done. Sometimes I pull the pan from the flame to better control the toasting speed - the flour will continue to toast for a few minutes even when the pan is removed from the flame - then if it needs more darkening, back onto the range. When judging when to stop toasting your flour, keep in mind that when you add in the oil or butter, it will become SIGNIFICANTLY darker.
I'm pretty sure _ATK_ did goulash in a previous season of their TV show. Maybe your library has it on DVD? If you have access to the _Cook's_ website, you can find the recipe and video.
Thanks for watching! Let us know how it goes. Here's our Goulash recipe: www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4514-hungarian-beef-stew?sqn=pJjktuKxk%2Bk2Z2QKMx3eirHnQneZ3Rrdr72h9Os9BMQ%3D%0A
I never liked using all that oil to make roux, so I’d make it a day ahead so it’d settle, and I could skim the oil. But your technique is gold, can’t wait to try it!
Chasity Ama La Luz I'm with you. After my first heart attack, I had to rethink some of my cooking. I thought I was so smart to brown my flour in a heavy skillet without oil! Looks like I just stumbled on someone else's good idea. I love the use of the oven, though. Makes the process a lot easier.
You can make a dry roux using no oil. Same technique, but a dry roux will not look as dark until it gets wet, so just keep that in mind. The flavor is no different.
I used this method today and it was awesome! I'm making 6 batches of gumbo for an event and this saved so time. I LOVE that this doesn't require oil and the hostage situation between me and the pot.
Chasity Ama La Luz I’m from south Louisiana and we make gumbos often to eat the next day because it tastes better the next day because all the flavors get to marry well overnight.
Made this tonight. My wife doesn't eat seafood and living in New Orleans we pass up a lot of good food but this recipe is the BOMB! The rice is so perfect and the rich flavors I can't even describe. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks ATK!
I made the gumbo yesterday by following these easy and straight-forward directions, and it turned out great, the family asked for seconds, and their bowls were clean.
I liked the recipe with the toasted flour. Turned out very good. I add one more ingredient: a heaping tablespoon of Zatarain's Creole Mustard - the jar with the seeds. This adds a flavor layer that is wholly New Orleans. Try it; you'll never make the dish again without it!
Pickled pork shoulder (Savoie's) can be found at Amazon.com under the grocery and gourmet food category, as well as other NOLA ingredients, such as tasso and Camellia red beans. My tasso and pickled pork shoulder arrived frozen solid in a styrofoam container containing a very large chunk of dry ice. I live in the Seattle area, so I was impressed that it could arrive in the summer, all the way from New Orleans, still frozen solid.
Love the dry roux idea, gonna have to try it. We love gumbo, but with a traditional wet roux, there's a ton of added fat. This looks great for reducing the fat content while keeping the flavor.
I made this and it was absolutely great... The rue in the oven worked out perfectly. .. Question can I use the rue trick with other recipes or should this be for this type of recipes only...
About the Red Beans and rice: 1. There is no rule that the beans remain intact. Many prefer some of them popped or mashed into the sauce to make a very thick. It's a matter of preference. No rules. 2. To achieve superior smoky-ness and flavor, don't worry about the paprika or the bacon. Just add one smoked ham hock per 2 pounds of dry beans. The ham hock takes no time or fuss except to fish out the two bones at the end. 3. Brown sausage well before adding trinity to release the fond. 4. This dish works well in an 8qt Instant Pot. 2 pks sausage, 2 pounds beans, 12 cups water with Knorr chicken base, 1 ham hock, 1 bag frozen trinity. Spices (thyme, garlic, sage, cayenne pepper, black pepper). 60 mins @ high pressure. Natural release. 5. Prepare yourself for a whole new world!
This is a very interesting recipe. Love the added bacon. Nice choice in beans and the addition of the red wine really gets my attention. I will try this soon.
Good show! I usually add file powder to my gumbo when it comes off the fire. I make Tasso and Andouille (ahn-dooie) a couple times a year. But pickle meat isn't easy enough to make - I have but just ignore it these days. Camellia small red beans are hard to find so I just make do with kidney beans but I mash about a third of them to provide the texture. Just wanna say "Where ya at dawlin!"
I remember an ep of "Beat Bobby Flay" where he challenged a New Orleans chef to best him at gumbo. He brought out his meaty ingredients and the competition was in shock. They happened to be cooking on Good Friday. No meat! So he did a quick turn about and whipped up some seafood gumbo. Naturally he didn't win.
Awesome video. I'm so blessed to have my grocery carry Savoie Products; Dark Roux. Tasso and Sausage. So yes, I love making my Heritage foods and I love cooking anything Cajun.
Excellent tip using the dry roux! Now, I wonder how that would work for making a breakfast gravy? Less time in the oven would be necessary, of course... I am going to have to give it a try.
I love red beans and rice! It is so simple but so delicious. I still reminisce about the red beans and rice I once had at a Cuban restaurant. I will never forget how incredibly good it was. I don't put any meat or animal fat in my red beans and rice and it is still awesome. There are other ways to get good rich flavor.
Gumboooo!! I've seen the flour done in the oven like this, but had forgotten about it. I need to try this again. A friend from St. Bernard's parish, La taught me to make gumbo, but I'm not skilled enough as one poster said to make chocolate roux in 15 mins, so I can't stand at the stove whisking long enough to make roux anymore. I'll have to been give this a try. But where's the file??? I prefer file gumbo to okra in the gumbo. But both are good if the okra is treated properly. Neither is a no-no missy ma'am! Lol My friends mother was from Singapore, & she also taught me to make a super simple dish, basically cooking chicken thighs in a roux that is called a black coffee roux. Colored like your "burnt" one, but about a minute this side of burnt. The flavor is amazing!! But I have burnt the roux making this dish, & yeah, dump it & start over, there is no saving it. Supper will be late that night. Lol
Looks good, and definitely a different twist on gumbo (but there are a thousand recipes easy). But, it doesn't look like any gumbo I've had in NOLA. It's a VERY heavy protein ratio, and very little liquid/gravy. But tasty is tasty, and I'll happily give it a try.
These two women are THE BEST FEMALE COOKS IN TH E US!!.....i used to watch 'em on TV (Amerka's country kitchen??)....no fanfare ...just good cooking.....
I love this dry method for roux, it really worked wonderfully and I learned about it from Shotgun Red but he had his comments disabled so I couldn't leave any props. I didn't see any okra or file.
@@mshafer1021 Never seen a gumbo without okra or file. Roux as dark as used in gumbo basically doesn't thicken at all. That's why you add the okra and file.
Nice tip on the rice. I knew about the rinse, but I was using the usual 1:2 rice to water ratio, and felt like long grain white was too gummy, so I started using basmati. But I will try this. I will also add the light sauté step. I always thought of that in conjunction with risotto. I suppose my RB&R is not very authentic as I don't use pork, but Johnsonville hot beef sausage. Still pretty tasty. I love America's Test Kitchen. I listen to the Milk Street show every Sat. on my local NPR station.
This was phenomenal! I will definitely be making it again. The dry rue was so easy, I just had to stir it a few times while it baked to keep the bottom from browning too much.
My New Orleans friends say it's not gumbo without okra. I prefer butter in my roux for the added flavor plus whatever appropriate veggies I have. I'm adding shrimp to today's gumbo with chicken and of course andouill sausage. My specialty is Brunswick stew so my recipes overlap. My part time job in an organic kitchen was to make around 70-90 gallons of soups and stews weekly and miss the cooking, not the pressure.
Never tried the simply organic, but I use Kroger Private selection smoked and regular paprika and they're awesome. They're Cayenne is also fruity and delicious.
Love Love LOVE your videos and recipes very much!!! Thank you for sharing this with us. The red beans & rice looked amazing! I will let you know how it turned out after I make it. Thank you, again, for all that you ALL do. Love the blind taste test of products segment, too! Great job!! 💖👍🌞🌺
It is better to season a gumbo closer to the end of cooking. The reason is that the sausage contributes to the saltiness and heat. Even with the same brand, you cannot be certain of how much this will affect the taste until it has cooked in the gumbo for some time.
The dry roux looks like a great idea. I'll definitely be saving this recipe. I was wondering what type of andouille you used. It's hard to find a good one locally.
I know this is a couple years late.. I am from New Orleans. I have lived out of state for a long time. Don't buy Andouille sausage in a store. Especially outside of Southern Louisiana. Down there there are real mom and pop places that sell it REALLY smoked and it is fantastic. My suggestion is to find a place that sells real smoked sausage or smoke it yourself on a smoker along with the chickens you will use for this dish and go that way.
I am a fan of good gumbo...and have made a great pot for years! I just don't like my gumbo that dark. I have managed to perfect my recipe, with great flavor and a nice roux that brings great texture without it being so dark.
Born in New Orleans. Raised in military family. No pickled pork in many places. Always had a bottle of peppers in vinegar to add before eating. Never met a bean or bowl of rise I didn't like but red beans and rice is always best.
Just made this,, turned out well, I may add okra next time,,the snotty texture and the seeds, and stalks I kind of miss but this is the simplest and most foolproof gumbo recipe I have seen, and the dry roux turned out right,,I doubted this but nice!
Where was this recipe when I had to make this by huge batches? I really like the toasting of the flour in the oven, is the toasted flour applicable for anything else I'm thinking mostly baking. I know when I toast regular granulated sugar in the oven before using it and baking I get more of a caramel flavor. Are there any benefits in using the toasted flour, in maybe a chocolate chip cookie would be a good example since a lot of people make brown butter for cookies. I've been baking for 30 odd years and I would actually watch you guys instead of Saturday morning cartoons, I was actually flipping through one of your guys's cookbooks the other day. Love you guys and I hope you keep on with the Test Kitchen, you guys are one of the reasons I went into cooking I didn't even take the summer off from high school I went straight to culinary school and even when culinary school went and a break I took additional classes that my classmates didn't so that's why I know how to cake decorate and do a lot of restaurant desserts that they didn't learn
A lot of Louisiana grandma's used to add a little splash of dark coffee (not the grounds, prepared coffee) to their gumbo to give another flavor "note". Not enough to taste "coffee" but just enough to taste "that's good!" Start adding it a teaspoon at a time, stir in, and taste. See if you like it or not.
I like cooking my red beans with a ham hock for lots of smoky flavor. I fish that nasty looking thing out before I serve of course. It’s just for a serious smoky flavor. And I always thought soaking the beans in salt water makes them tough. Also, I found to reduce the gas beans may produce, soak in plain water overnight in the fridge and change out the water once or twice. It gets rid of the component that causes the gas. And then once you start boiling the beans, skim off the foam that rises to the top. It contains that component too. My family and I have noticed a big difference since I started doing this.
Smoked or not, I always favor the sweet paprika. Sweet paprika comes from one particular variety of pepper, so if you're getting sweet, you know what kind of pepper you're dealing with. Hot paprika includes other peppers, because that first pepper isn't spicy at all. The pepper or peppers used varies from one brand to another, so you're starting to get into "chili powder" territory, where the product tends to not have much personality, in much the same way that blending the juice of twelve different citrus fruits would likely yield a dimensionless "generic citrus" flavor. With sweet paprika, you're getting the flavor of the fruit that inspired the powder in the first place. For that same reason, when I get powdered dried peppers, I always go with single-variety options (chili California [dried Anaheim] has a mild heat and a nice fruity flavor), which are often plentiful in grocery stores that specialize in Mexican and Central American products.
This flour method is good for one reason, (roux isn't hard to make) but this dish would have almost a cup of fat if made the traditional way. Roux is 1:1 fat to flour.
That's what I'm thinking. I mean, sure, there's _technically_ no rule against just using a brick roux and Cajun or Creole ingredients, but I've never seen a self-respecting Louisianan's gumbo without one of the "slimy" thickeners. It just doesn't feel like gumbo without one or the other.
@Josephine Roe: Well color me surprised. I looked up several versions of his gumbo recipe, and you're right. Even the 1983 version of his recipe the New York Times published lists filé powder, but calls it optional.
This is a cajun style gumbo. Creole gumbo recipes are the kind that generally features okra or file among other differences like a lighter roux and the addition of tomatoes to the base.
I’ve made gumbo this way for years. Only thing is you miss an extra chance for more great flavor: seasoned chicken with salt and pepper then give good hard seer on both sides before adding to your pot to finish cooking in the liquids. Also you forgot the okra.
Made this gumbo using the dry roux method yesterday for dinner. It was amazing! If you hate the idea of standing over your stovetop for 45 minutes or more to make gumbo roux, then this method is for you! Thanks ATS for showing me a different method of making one of my favorite dishes! BTW next time, add okra!
I’m from south Louisiana and my grandmother used to tell me there are as many ways to make gumbo as there are folks that cook it. There is a set of techniques and ingredients commonly used, but it’s not written in stone and you put what you like (lol as long as it’s within the ingredients commonly used in Louisiana...things like clams and kale will leave you with no friends here).
Kale??? That is a sin...
I'm from NOLA and my uncle said someone served him gumbo with weiners. 🤷🏾♀️
@@Renee_nf094e that aint no Winner in my book.... Sorry for the lame joke....
@@Renee_nf094e I saw that once and it was from a black family and I was like wtf... I guess they were either too poor to buy smoked sausage or andouille and wanted a similar flavor in their gumbo so they used hot dogs or they just used what they had in the fridge instead of going buy sausage... but I wouldn’t recommend that and it’s not something you see regularly...
@@RedKing64
Lol 😆
Thank you ladies and gentlemen I am always looking for tips and tricks for my favorite foods. Gumbo, Red beans and Rice great American food. I recently went to New Orleans and had Gumbo at some of the finest restaurants. Not one of the was alike and they all claimed to be Authentic. I have had authentic southern Fried chicken 40 ways. This was just another way. I am a fan of Okra in mine.
Every through that is not how I make my cajun gumbo, as learned from my multiple cajun "mommas," I can see that working very well. It certainly looks like a perfectly viable alternative for cooks who get nervous about making a traditional dark roux from flour and fat in a cast iron pot. For the doubters, the main thickening comes from the roux. I add okra to mine, because I like it. I put file on the table for people to indulge their particular tastes, as well as Tabasco and Louisiana Hot Sauce. So, nice job. Cajun Gumbo is a "bucket list" food, so any short cut that doesn't mess up the basic flavor is fine with me. One tiny little thing, you never serve gumbo over rice, You serve a big scoop of rice on top of your gumbo. You don't want your rice to soak up too much gumbo before it goes into your mouth.
Sorry, "Even though".. I never seen so see typos until after I hit "reply."
@@teddymartinii1979 You, and everybody else 😊
Amen! I'm not tell'in em the things they don't know.😂
Totally agree Glenn!! I also like to put in some okra but I love a lil bit File in the pot as well as a seasoning. I'm hungry now!! LOL ((Hugs)) from Texas!! xx ; )
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I just made the gumbo. One thing I found is, my roux only took 38 minutes to cook, as opposed to their 45-55 minutes. I did use a dark pan, so maybe that was it. Also, my roux was slightly darker than theirs, despite the shorter cooking time.
A variation I did, after reading the comments here, was to brown the chicken for a few minutes and also render the sausage for a minute or two.
I also added a small bag of frozen okra. Sorry, but gumbo has to have okra!
Finally, I lightly seasoned the raw chicken with Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, which I found at Kroger.
The gumbo is fantastic, btw !
Searing the meats was my first instinct too. Would definitely add to the fond and even more and better flavor!
Must. Have. Okra. :)
I'm originally from N.O., as are my mom, grandma & GGmother & though, as is typical, we each have different creole-style (as opposed to cajun) ways of making it, none of us would put okra in chicken & sausage gumbo. And though my Dad (RIP) was from Montana, his gumbo recipes/methods may legit be best of all since he loved to eat well & picked up tips from his cajun hunting & fishing buddies but even he wouldn't have ever added that to this dish either. In fact, most of us would probably only use okra in "okra corn & tomato" gumbo. That doesn't mean it's *wrong* to add okra to this, but this is simply to remind other people that anyone who says that "All gumbo has to have ____(fill in the blank)" might have limited experience with how it's authentically offered beyond their own mom/dad/grandma's table in their own region.
"A recipe isn't law, it's a recommendation. If you don't like something take it out. If you want to add to it, go right ahead. It's that simple."
-Marco Pierre White
Brought to you by Knorr Stock Pot.
@@ellemdee276, my wife wouldn't have added okra either until she had mine this past summer. She made her version this past weekend and it had okra in it.🤷🏼♂️
I've made this several times and it is damn good! And yes, I've had (and made) authentic gumbo. Considering the ease and foolproof method, I am really impressed. For those gumbo snobs out there, please try this before turning up your nose. I know there's lots of tradition tied to this dish, but give it a chance. And yeah, I've modified this to my own version using both okra and file and other spices.
Cooking is cooking....there are 100 variations to make a single dish taste "good". As a chef, I appreciate different technical approaches to obtaining 1 goal.....to make the taster enjoy my food.
If you choose to make a dish told and taught to you one way, then fine, don't change it. But, if you are looking to eliminate a few steps in the preparation while STILL maintaining the integrity then listen and learn. That is what ATK is ALL ABOUT !
Well said.
@ML Lawson Umm, we are all taking something original and making it our own. Your comment makes no sense.
@ML Lawson Your thought process and grammar structure really worries me....go cook something in your easy bake oven.
A recipe is guideline and ment to be played with,its never set in stone,even with traditional recipe's
@ML Lawson I dont claim anything to be authentic that I make,I make things my own way with I have. I also have worked in the restaurant industry for 8 years I know a thing or two
I have this friend who was going out of town for a while, and who dropped off a big bag of shrimp that probably wasn't going to wait for him to return. We had some anduille sausage in the freezer that wasn't getting any better with age, and some ham left over from the holidays. Plus, I like cajun food. But being a yankee who didn't learn how to prepare a hot dog until I got divorced in my 40's, I had no idea how to make this stuff. So I followed the instructions almost EXACTLY as they were shown, the only exceptions being the addition of the shrimp and some ham, a couple bags of frozen okra, and the fact that I tripled the amount of ingredients. I have friends, you see. "Go big or go home" is my mantra when cooking. So in the end, I wound up with damn near 2 gallons of what's destined to become racoon-food if it doesn't turn out well. How'd it go?
It was EPIC. "Best damn pot of anything I ever made in my life" is how it went. And everybody who's taken a tubbie home with them thinks so too.
Thanks ladies. You made my cooking skills seem much better than they really are.
I made this recipe. First I sauteed the vegetables with 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) instead of 1 tablespoon. The flavor was deep from the toasted flour, but the texture is off since a roux is equal parts oil and flour. It also didn't seem thin enough even before sitting for a while. I also agree that searing the meats prior to inserting into liquid would make all the difference. It just needed the extra flavor and about 1/2 the flour... unless you make a traditional roux so that the flour is all coated in oil.
My favorite part of the recipes presented is the fact that the ATK Chefs "shorten" a vast majority of their chosen dish's prep/cooking.
Yes, I understand about editing. But, still, if you pay attention to the narration, you learn how they've done a fair amount, to most' of the prep/cooking "hands-off". The 1c of flour in the oven instead of standing over the stove forever with your roux, is a perfect example.
Thank you, Bridget, Julia, all of the other talented Chef Presenters, & especially all of the dedicated ATK Chefs.
p.s.
One big, infinite "Thank You!" for NO OKRA, YAY! 😘
Cheers & God Bless
I have a number of notes. You should brown your meats first especially if you are going to brown your veg. You can do it without adding any oil that way. Also, I think it’s fine to do the roux dry but you lose some ability to customize the darkness and therefore flavor by doing it in the oven. You can also toast it in a skillet on the stove top while whisking if you want to do it dry.
My preference is to use a cast iron skillet, brown the sausage first. Then use that grease to brown chicken, rendering the oil. Then brown your oil in the same pan, oil or not, whisking all the way. If you do add a little oil, when you reach the desired color, Then quench with aromatics. Once you have done so add a bit of stock, and add to stock pot.
Ladies Thank You So Much. Made this Gumbo Recipe 8-17-23 Perfect, simply Perfect. The only tweak was added large shrimp. I never did the oven baked flour and I will always and forever make my roux this way, forever. Thank You So Much. It's The Best. Can't tell the difference between stove stop liquid roux from the oven. Less time, worry and concern about making the roux. Yes indeed it's foolproof. Thanks Again.
I lived in Louisiana for nearly a decade, and I can count on one hand all the gumbos I ate that had okra in it. As far as I could tell, most people don't use it.
At the end of the day, gumbo is one of those dishes that has as many recipes as there are people who make it (and there are a lot), and each one never makes it the same way twice. 🤷♂️ But they'll all still tell you theirs is the best. 😂
We use it mainly in seafood gumbos. Cajun boy here.
@@johnwright2911 Ah, that actually makes sense. Thanks for the insight.
the west african word for okra is litterally gumbo !
@@TheWibbo Yes, but colloquially in the States the words mean two different things now; one a vegetable, the other a stew. And I just don't want slimey okra in my chicken and sausage gumbo. I don't like filé (powdered sassafras) in it either for the same reason; add too much (which is easy to do) and it can make it slimey. Call me weird, but I just don't like eating foods that have the consistency of snot, regardless of where the words themselves originated or what they originally meant but no longer do so here.
I'm soo excited to make both of these hard to do recipes that you made so much easier and love the tips I will use for ham n beans thank you
I made the Gumbo this past Sunday. It came out AWESOME! At first I was worried about the smell of the roux, somewhere between burnt popcorn and coffee being roasted. However, it all turned out great!
Solid recipe, but you HAVE to sear the chicken and sausage before softening the veggies. Those chicken bits add so much flavor
Jeremy James I agree
The sausage needs to be seared, but I find in my gumbos that the chicken thigh works way better just braised, but I use homemade stock anyway so the chicken flavor is already there.
Amen! It adds some texture to the sausage and it also seems to release more of the sausage fat you can skim off the top.
AnAristotelian Yes, and the trinity should be layered in celery first, peppers second, and then onions, followed at the end with the garlic and any herbs, I. E. thyme, parsley, etc.
I was literally about to comment that lol
Hint from a Southerner - The word "Gumbo" is an African Swahili term meaning okra. Okra and roux are the thickening agents in all gumbos. "First you make a roux" is oftentimes the being instructions in Southern cooking. Slow cooking sifted salted flour in oil in an iron skillet while stirring continually or oven baking it develops the rich nut-like flavor as the heat fragments the starch molecules. This will diminish the thickening power of the flour. Interestingly, the color will darkened more when hot water is added to complete the process. If you brown the roux flour until it's the color you desire, you may end up with a burned would-be roux that must be discarded.
In years past, when a young man would announce that he was in love and found a girl he wanted to marry, his father would ask, "Son, can she make a roux?" LOL
This is my second time using this recipe. This year (2021), I made a batch as a Christmas gift for my foodie Mother-in-Law. The challenge is she CANNOT handle spicy food! I always approach recipes as a base for my own version (I tweak them to my own taste); but with this recipe & my Mom's taste-buds being as tender as they are, I stuck EXACTLY to this version. It came out PERFECT. The roux method was FULLPROOF. The finished gumbo was full of complex flavors without being too spicy/hot! I packaged a healthy portion of the gumbo with some rice and a cornbread mix she loves................ I'm hoping the gift is a hit!
I’m Louisiana Cajun Creole & our families File’ Gumbo was handed down to me by my Father’s mother, my Granny who taught my mother how to make it, a traditional authentic Gumbo always begins with the roux, otherwise you’re just making soup & then adding a roux.
I blessed the rains down in Paprika
Lol, only 11 people got the reference xD
Gonna take some time to eat the thing we never had.
To to corny
LOL
Lol...funny!
I cook my chicken thigh, sausage and spices in oil first for color, deepening flavor and fond development….then add vegetables, then add the both. Since this is dry roux, yes, I would mix it with a cup of cold broth then add it to the gumbo pot. I also successfully make roux in the microwave with equal parts vegetable oil and flour in a Pyrex measuring cup…2 minute increments…..it comes out perfectly.
I am from New Orleans and you are supposed to smash some of the beans on the side of the pot. This make the sauce creamer. Try it!
I do it as well. Works like a charm.
Zaza
What beans? This is gumbo, not red beans and rice.
@@martinschuessler1936 2nd recipe in the video is rice & beans
@@MP708 Oops! My bad...
I love gumbo because its a great way to reincarnate all your left-overs. Couple of thoughts - doesn't the recipe need sassafras (AKA gumbo file) to be real N.O. gumbo? I personally dont find gumbo authentic without it. Also...about the flour toasting in the oven idea - 50 minutes, huh!- I have an even better idea - for years the way i've made roux for chili - just toast the 1/2 cup flour in a pan. Keep the flour moving faster the longer the elapsed time - dont let it sit and burn. By 10 minutes it will really start browning quickly and by 15 you are done. Sometimes I pull the pan from the flame to better control the toasting speed - the flour will continue to toast for a few minutes even when the pan is removed from the flame - then if it needs more darkening, back onto the range. When judging when to stop toasting your flour, keep in mind that when you add in the oil or butter, it will become SIGNIFICANTLY darker.
I really have to say that I've come to enjoy your channel a lot!
So glad you are on you tube!
Red beans and rice looks delicious, definitely will try to make this recipe.
Would love to see a recipe on Goulash.
I'm pretty sure _ATK_ did goulash in a previous season of their TV show. Maybe your library has it on DVD?
If you have access to the _Cook's_ website, you can find the recipe and video.
Thanks for watching! Let us know how it goes. Here's our Goulash recipe: www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4514-hungarian-beef-stew?sqn=pJjktuKxk%2Bk2Z2QKMx3eirHnQneZ3Rrdr72h9Os9BMQ%3D%0A
I never liked using all that oil to make roux, so I’d make it a day ahead so it’d settle, and I could skim the oil. But your technique is gold, can’t wait to try it!
Chasity Ama La Luz I'm with you. After my first heart attack, I had to rethink some of my cooking. I thought I was so smart to brown my flour in a heavy skillet without oil! Looks like I just stumbled on someone else's good idea. I love the use of the oven, though. Makes the process a lot easier.
You can make a dry roux using no oil. Same technique, but a dry roux will not look as dark until it gets wet, so just keep that in mind. The flavor is no different.
I used this method today and it was awesome! I'm making 6 batches of gumbo for an event and this saved so time. I LOVE that this doesn't require oil and the hostage situation between me and the pot.
Chasity Ama La Luz I’m from south Louisiana and we make gumbos often to eat the next day because it tastes better the next day because all the flavors get to marry well overnight.
Made this tonight. My wife doesn't eat seafood and living in New Orleans we pass up a lot of good food but this recipe is the BOMB! The rice is so perfect and the rich flavors I can't even describe. This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks ATK!
Get a new wife if she doesn't like seafood
Dry roux pretty good trick. If too much oil or fat give you indigestion this is great option.
Tastes great, easy and no heartburn.
I love your show everything you make I enjoy including this . Everyone has their critics I just enjoy .
Made your red beans and rice tonight, deeply satisfying
I made the gumbo yesterday by following these easy and straight-forward directions, and it turned out great, the family asked for seconds, and their bowls were clean.
We're so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
@@AmericasTestKitchenare you really?
I liked the recipe with the toasted flour. Turned out very good. I add one more ingredient: a heaping tablespoon of Zatarain's Creole Mustard - the jar with the seeds. This adds a flavor layer that is wholly New Orleans. Try it; you'll never make the dish again without it!
Pickled pork shoulder (Savoie's) can be found at Amazon.com under the grocery and gourmet food category, as well as other NOLA ingredients, such as tasso and Camellia red beans. My tasso and pickled pork shoulder arrived frozen solid in a styrofoam container containing a very large chunk of dry ice. I live in the Seattle area, so I was impressed that it could arrive in the summer, all the way from New Orleans, still frozen solid.
Love the dry roux idea, gonna have to try it. We love gumbo, but with a traditional wet roux, there's a ton of added fat. This looks great for reducing the fat content while keeping the flavor.
I made this and it was absolutely great...
The rue in the oven worked out perfectly. ..
Question can I use the rue trick with other recipes or should this be for this type of recipes only...
About the Red Beans and rice:
1. There is no rule that the beans remain intact. Many prefer some of them popped or mashed into the sauce to make a very thick. It's a matter of preference. No rules.
2. To achieve superior smoky-ness and flavor, don't worry about the paprika or the bacon. Just add one smoked ham hock per 2 pounds of dry beans. The ham hock takes no time or fuss except to fish out the two bones at the end.
3. Brown sausage well before adding trinity to release the fond.
4. This dish works well in an 8qt Instant Pot. 2 pks sausage, 2 pounds beans, 12 cups water with Knorr chicken base, 1 ham hock, 1 bag frozen trinity. Spices (thyme, garlic, sage, cayenne pepper, black pepper). 60 mins @ high pressure. Natural release.
5. Prepare yourself for a whole new world!
This is a very interesting recipe. Love the added bacon. Nice choice in beans and the addition of the red wine really gets my attention. I will try this soon.
Good show! I usually add file powder to my gumbo when it comes off the fire. I make Tasso and Andouille (ahn-dooie) a couple times a year. But pickle meat isn't easy enough to make - I have but just ignore it these days. Camellia small red beans are hard to find so I just make do with kidney beans but I mash about a third of them to provide the texture. Just wanna say "Where ya at dawlin!"
I dunno why you're uploading a ton of full episodes to youtube but I genuinely enjoy it. Thank you!
The roux of thumb? If you burn your roux, it will rouxin your gumbo.
I still roux the day when I rouxined the roux. I'll be using the dry method.
And don't fight a Roux! They have a sneaky left hook and can jump away fast. 🏃♀️🥊🥊🦘
HA! Good one.
@@spicemasterii6775 🤦🏽
💀
I remember an ep of "Beat Bobby Flay" where he challenged a New Orleans chef to best him at gumbo. He brought out his meaty ingredients and the competition was in shock. They happened to be cooking on Good Friday. No meat! So he did a quick turn about and whipped up some seafood gumbo. Naturally he didn't win.
Loved all the tips here, can't wait to make my red beans n rice!
Awesome video. I'm so blessed to have my grocery carry Savoie Products; Dark Roux. Tasso and Sausage. So yes, I love making my Heritage foods and I love cooking anything Cajun.
Excellent tip using the dry roux! Now, I wonder how that would work for making a breakfast gravy? Less time in the oven would be necessary, of course... I am going to have to give it a try.
This Dry ROUX@ The Oven iS BrilLant, ALL These Recipes &+ Tests are GREAT‼️‼️💲💲.
The dry roux is great. I use it. We saute the meats for flavor and the fawn.
~Louisiana girl.
I love red beans and rice! It is so simple but so delicious. I still reminisce about the red beans and rice I once had at a Cuban restaurant. I will never forget how incredibly good it was. I don't put any meat or animal fat in my red beans and rice and it is still awesome. There are other ways to get good rich flavor.
This is a great technique. ATK had a dry roux chicken and smoked sausage gumbo recipe that ive made many times.
Gumboooo!! I've seen the flour done in the oven like this, but had forgotten about it. I need to try this again. A friend from St. Bernard's parish, La taught me to make gumbo, but I'm not skilled enough as one poster said to make chocolate roux in 15 mins, so I can't stand at the stove whisking long enough to make roux anymore. I'll have to been give this a try. But where's the file??? I prefer file gumbo to okra in the gumbo. But both are good if the okra is treated properly. Neither is a no-no missy ma'am! Lol My friends mother was from Singapore, & she also taught me to make a super simple dish, basically cooking chicken thighs in a roux that is called a black coffee roux. Colored like your "burnt" one, but about a minute this side of burnt. The flavor is amazing!! But I have burnt the roux making this dish, & yeah, dump it & start over, there is no saving it. Supper will be late that night. Lol
Made the gumbo for dinner and everyone loved it!
Looks good, and definitely a different twist on gumbo (but there are a thousand recipes easy). But, it doesn't look like any gumbo I've had in NOLA. It's a VERY heavy protein ratio, and very little liquid/gravy. But tasty is tasty, and I'll happily give it a try.
These two women are THE BEST FEMALE COOKS IN TH E US!!.....i used to watch 'em on TV (Amerka's country kitchen??)....no fanfare ...just good cooking.....
No, they aren’t.
This is the best gumbo recipe I've ever tried. It's easy, fool-proof and healthier but tastes great!
I love this dry method for roux, it really worked wonderfully and I learned about it from Shotgun Red but he had his comments disabled so I couldn't leave any props. I didn't see any okra or file.
April Ueligitone, you don’t need okra or file when using roux. Those are two separate types of seasoning
@@mshafer1021 file is used regardless.
I never heard of file. You learn something new everyday.
@@mshafer1021 Never seen a gumbo without okra or file. Roux as dark as used in gumbo basically doesn't thicken at all. That's why you add the okra and file.
I'm barely inclined to call this gumbo without file powder or okra. I know "everyone got their way," but...
Nice tip on the rice. I knew about the rinse, but I was using the usual 1:2 rice to water ratio, and felt like long grain white was too gummy, so I started using basmati. But I will try this. I will also add the light sauté step. I always thought of that in conjunction with risotto.
I suppose my RB&R is not very authentic as I don't use pork, but Johnsonville hot beef sausage. Still pretty tasty.
I love America's Test Kitchen. I listen to the Milk Street show every Sat. on my local NPR station.
Warning!!! When you switch from McCormick to a real smoked paprika use much less than you are used to using.
I always learn new tricks to making my cooking easier and less intimidating from the America's test Kitchens !
My grand kids and I are making our traditional gumbo. But I'm going to try the oven baked roux!!
I'll definitely try some of the ideas from this video.
Two recipes i would love you to try. The classic Coq au Vin. And an Asian street food. Singapore Noodles
I want some of all thanks for the tips ❤️❤️💕🥰💯
This was phenomenal! I will definitely be making it again. The dry rue was so easy, I just had to stir it a few times while it baked to keep the bottom from browning too much.
Scott Kitzman it’s roux not rue 🤦🏽♀️
Amazing! And you didn't even add Gumbo file'...Wow!!💖
I Love gumbo thanks guys I'm ready to eat!!!! yummy !!.😘😊
My New Orleans friends say it's not gumbo without okra. I prefer butter in my roux for the added flavor plus whatever appropriate veggies I have. I'm adding shrimp to today's gumbo with chicken and of course andouill sausage. My specialty is Brunswick stew so my recipes overlap. My part time job in an organic kitchen was to make around 70-90 gallons of soups and stews weekly and miss the cooking, not the pressure.
Never tried the simply organic, but I use Kroger Private selection smoked and regular paprika and they're awesome. They're Cayenne is also fruity and delicious.
I am from Louisiana and have a lot of Camilia red beans on now! Good stuff!
Love Love LOVE your videos and recipes very much!!! Thank you for sharing this with us. The red beans & rice looked amazing! I will let you know how it turned out after I make it. Thank you, again, for all that you ALL do. Love the blind taste test of products segment, too! Great job!! 💖👍🌞🌺
so clearly explained and demonstrated
Nothing taste better than Camillian Red Beans. They cook up rich and creamy. Did you forget the bay leaves?
I use anything that reduces time and still adds to the flavor.
Red beans and rice! Yum!
Great idea and tasty looking gumbo recipe - will try this (might throw in some shrimp at the end)
Looks like cocoa powder.
By the way love the show, keep up the awesome work.
I want some of that beans and rice so bad. It looks so good!
It is better to season a gumbo closer to the end of cooking. The reason is that the sausage contributes to the saltiness and heat. Even with the same brand, you cannot be certain of how much this will affect the taste until it has cooked in the gumbo for some time.
I Love the taste testing you always make it fun also I Love red beans and rice.😘😊
Wow, love you gals and your recipes!!!!!!
Interesting on the pronunciation of paprika - I tend to use the Latin vowels when saying it.
The dry roux looks like a great idea. I'll definitely be saving this recipe. I was wondering what type of andouille you used. It's hard to find a good one locally.
I know this is a couple years late.. I am from New Orleans. I have lived out of state for a long time. Don't buy Andouille sausage in a store. Especially outside of Southern Louisiana. Down there there are real mom and pop places that sell it REALLY smoked and it is fantastic. My suggestion is to find a place that sells real smoked sausage or smoke it yourself on a smoker along with the chickens you will use for this dish and go that way.
The Best Stop in Lafayette, LA has fantastic andouille, along with everything else Cajun. I believe they ship.
@@zigmeisterxiv Thanks, I'll be in Lafayette in a few months. I'll bring a cooler and load it up.😁
I prefer gumbo with okra. But this looks like a very nice recipe. That roux technique is genius!
I am a fan of good gumbo...and have made a great pot for years! I just don't like my gumbo that dark. I have managed to perfect my recipe, with great flavor and a nice roux that brings great texture without it being so dark.
Born in New Orleans. Raised in military family. No pickled pork in many places. Always had a bottle of peppers in vinegar to add before eating. Never met a bean or bowl of rise I didn't like but red beans and rice is always best.
I’ve never made such a great roux. I’ll never go back to stirring a roux for hours!
Just made this,, turned out well, I may add okra next time,,the snotty texture and the seeds, and stalks I kind of miss but this is the simplest and most foolproof gumbo recipe I have seen, and the dry roux turned out right,,I doubted this but nice!
Flour in the 425deg oven for 40-45 min.. Perfect. See 3:00min mark.
Your recipes look so delicious
Nice combination dish for cooked rice.. 👌
Where was this recipe when I had to make this by huge batches? I really like the toasting of the flour in the oven, is the toasted flour applicable for anything else I'm thinking mostly baking. I know when I toast regular granulated sugar in the oven before using it and baking I get more of a caramel flavor. Are there any benefits in using the toasted flour, in maybe a chocolate chip cookie would be a good example since a lot of people make brown butter for cookies. I've been baking for 30 odd years and I would actually watch you guys instead of Saturday morning cartoons, I was actually flipping through one of your guys's cookbooks the other day. Love you guys and I hope you keep on with the Test Kitchen, you guys are one of the reasons I went into cooking I didn't even take the summer off from high school I went straight to culinary school and even when culinary school went and a break I took additional classes that my classmates didn't so that's why I know how to cake decorate and do a lot of restaurant desserts that they didn't learn
A lot of Louisiana grandma's used to add a little splash of dark coffee (not the grounds, prepared coffee) to their gumbo to give another flavor "note". Not enough to taste "coffee" but just enough to taste "that's good!" Start adding it a teaspoon at a time, stir in, and taste. See if you like it or not.
Thanks for the rice and beans!
What a great video!!
I like cooking my red beans with a ham hock for lots of smoky flavor. I fish that nasty looking thing out before I serve of course. It’s just for a serious smoky flavor. And I always thought soaking the beans in salt water makes them tough. Also, I found to reduce the gas beans may produce, soak in plain water overnight in the fridge and change out the water once or twice. It gets rid of the component that causes the gas. And then once you start boiling the beans, skim off the foam that rises to the top. It contains that component too. My family and I have noticed a big difference since I started doing this.
Looks delish. I am used to a soupier gumbo, this almost seems like Jambalaya?
Smoked or not, I always favor the sweet paprika. Sweet paprika comes from one particular variety of pepper, so if you're getting sweet, you know what kind of pepper you're dealing with. Hot paprika includes other peppers, because that first pepper isn't spicy at all. The pepper or peppers used varies from one brand to another, so you're starting to get into "chili powder" territory, where the product tends to not have much personality, in much the same way that blending the juice of twelve different citrus fruits would likely yield a dimensionless "generic citrus" flavor. With sweet paprika, you're getting the flavor of the fruit that inspired the powder in the first place. For that same reason, when I get powdered dried peppers, I always go with single-variety options (chili California [dried Anaheim] has a mild heat and a nice fruity flavor), which are often plentiful in grocery stores that specialize in Mexican and Central American products.
This flour method is good for one reason, (roux isn't hard to make) but this dish would have almost a cup of fat if made the traditional way. Roux is 1:1 fat to flour.
So no okra or file powder? You know the one or the other thickening agents that are usually in a gumbo?
That's what I'm thinking. I mean, sure, there's _technically_ no rule against just using a brick roux and Cajun or Creole ingredients, but I've never seen a self-respecting Louisianan's gumbo without one of the "slimy" thickeners. It just doesn't feel like gumbo without one or the other.
bloodgain
Chef Paul Prudhomme's recipe uses a roux and no okra or filet. I guess he wasn't self-respecting?
@Josephine Roe: Well color me surprised. I looked up several versions of his gumbo recipe, and you're right. Even the 1983 version of his recipe the New York Times published lists filé powder, but calls it optional.
File is an optional ingredient. Okra is used to thicken a seafood Gumbo (not the chicken and andouille)
This is a cajun style gumbo. Creole gumbo recipes are the kind that generally features okra or file among other differences like a lighter roux and the addition of tomatoes to the base.
I can’t wait to try the dry roux version.
I’ve made gumbo this way for years. Only thing is you miss an extra chance for more great flavor: seasoned chicken with salt and pepper then give good hard seer on both sides before adding to your pot to finish cooking in the liquids. Also you forgot the okra.
Thank you so much for the recipe !! Looks so good !