Post by woodyz on Oct 6, 2013 20:05:34 GMT -7
WOODYZ’S Everythings In The Pot Gumbo
This is how I make my Gumbo, I am sure there are plenty of good gumbo recipes; this is just how I make mine. I have tried to make it in smaller batches, but it just doesn’t come out as good. But it does keep 6 months in the freezer and I only make it once a year, so it works out. Somehow this started being becoming a tradition at my house to welcome the first cold snap. Many hardline gumbo makers have cussed me for “ruining” seafood gumbo with chicken and sausage (there being seafood gumbo, chicken gumbo and sausage gumbo, so this is more “everything in one pot gumbo”.
The reason my gumbo takes two days is because I devote the first day to the stock, using plain water or canned stock is not allowed. However the stock can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen.
THE STOCK CONTENT:
- 8/10 quarts of COLD water. ( I will use my refrigerated chicken water with enough water to make the requirement)
- All of the chicken bones left from a boiled and deboned chicken, cut and browned in the oven then drained. (its important to cut through the bones so all the good stuff can get out.
- Shrimp shells, tails and heads. (I hate peeling shrimp as much as you do but the shells, tails and heads are important to the flavor – do what you have to)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- ½ cup celery w/tops, chopped
- ½ cup carrots, chopped
- 2 heads of garlic, halved
- In a cheesecloth or tea bell, place:
- 1 tsp cracked peppercorns
- A few sprigs of parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- ½ tsp dried tarragon
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil leaves
THE ROUX
- 2 cups flour
- 11/4 cups oil
- Blend in a heavy/thick skillet or Dutch oven on medium to high heat stirring CONSTANTLY until it looks the color of peanut butter or darker. About 20 minutes.
- IT WILL BURN
- DO NOT LET IT BURN. Any black specs means you let it burn so throw it out and start over.
- Once it reaches the color of peanut butter or dark caramel, turn off the fire, but keep stirring until it cools.
- You can toss in some onions, bell peppers and/or celery to arrest the cooking process, but keep stirring until it cools. IF YOU BURN IT START OVER.
- ROUX has been called Cajun Napalm so don’t splatter or spill it on you it sticks like glue.
THE STOCK PROCESS:
- Boil a chicken till it falls off of the bone.
- Debone the chicken and brown in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes. (if you are going to add any hot seasoning not included in this recipe, this is where you do it)
- Add the browned and drained chicken bones to the stock and slowly bring to a simmer. Let simmer 4 hours, skimming the top as required.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery plus the sachet or tea ball and simmer one more hour.
- Add the shrimp shells, tails and heads and simmer 30 more minutes. Try not to stir during the simmer.
- Strain thoroughly. I slowly ladle the stock through a cheesecloth lined strainer.
- Use right away or;
- Place the stock pot in an ice bath and stir until chilled then refrigerate. (do not refrigerate w/out chilling as it could develop bacteria before cooling).
- The stock will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Before use skim the fat from the top.
THE REST OF THE EVERYTHING:
- 1 whole chicken, boiled, deboned, browned and drained.
- 2# of smoked sausage, sliced, browned and drained.
- 6# of peeled shrimp
- 6 whole blue crabs, cleaned, broken in half and the claws removed.
- 6 small cans of crab meat or 10 cans if no whole crabs used. (crab meat will settle to the bottom and stick add it last)
- 6# of okra, sliced
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 bunches of green onions w/tops chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 6 ribs of celery, chopped
- 6 to 12 short ears of corn*
- Several cloves of garlic (to taste)
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
- Cayenne pepper or preferred seasoning to taste
- Salt to taste
THE COOKING PROCESS:
- I use a turkey roaster or a turkey deep fry pot
- To 8/10 quarts of cold stock add roux, stir and bring to slow simmer
- Sauté onions, green onions, bell peppers and celery then add to stock
- Add the browned and drained chicken
- Add the bay leaves and peppers to taste then stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 1 hour (taste and season to taste)
- Add okra and corn and simmer 30 minutes (roux will thicken the mix as it simmers)
- Add the parsley, crab halves and crab claws and simmer 15 minutes
- Add the shrimp and crab meat and simmer 6 to 8 minutes (don’t overcook the shrimp)
- Skim as desired – THIS WILL STEAM UP THE KITCHEN WINDOWS AND MAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELL GOOD FOR DAYS.
SEARVE OVER BOWLS OF RICE – YUM! YUM!
• Some Wal-Mart stores sell a bag of vegetables called a gumbo mix with okra and corn + you can use a large bag of it, but I would still do some short corn ears.
This is how I make my Gumbo, I am sure there are plenty of good gumbo recipes; this is just how I make mine. I have tried to make it in smaller batches, but it just doesn’t come out as good. But it does keep 6 months in the freezer and I only make it once a year, so it works out. Somehow this started being becoming a tradition at my house to welcome the first cold snap. Many hardline gumbo makers have cussed me for “ruining” seafood gumbo with chicken and sausage (there being seafood gumbo, chicken gumbo and sausage gumbo, so this is more “everything in one pot gumbo”.
The reason my gumbo takes two days is because I devote the first day to the stock, using plain water or canned stock is not allowed. However the stock can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen.
THE STOCK CONTENT:
- 8/10 quarts of COLD water. ( I will use my refrigerated chicken water with enough water to make the requirement)
- All of the chicken bones left from a boiled and deboned chicken, cut and browned in the oven then drained. (its important to cut through the bones so all the good stuff can get out.
- Shrimp shells, tails and heads. (I hate peeling shrimp as much as you do but the shells, tails and heads are important to the flavor – do what you have to)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- ½ cup celery w/tops, chopped
- ½ cup carrots, chopped
- 2 heads of garlic, halved
- In a cheesecloth or tea bell, place:
- 1 tsp cracked peppercorns
- A few sprigs of parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- ½ tsp dried tarragon
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil leaves
THE ROUX
- 2 cups flour
- 11/4 cups oil
- Blend in a heavy/thick skillet or Dutch oven on medium to high heat stirring CONSTANTLY until it looks the color of peanut butter or darker. About 20 minutes.
- IT WILL BURN
- DO NOT LET IT BURN. Any black specs means you let it burn so throw it out and start over.
- Once it reaches the color of peanut butter or dark caramel, turn off the fire, but keep stirring until it cools.
- You can toss in some onions, bell peppers and/or celery to arrest the cooking process, but keep stirring until it cools. IF YOU BURN IT START OVER.
- ROUX has been called Cajun Napalm so don’t splatter or spill it on you it sticks like glue.
THE STOCK PROCESS:
- Boil a chicken till it falls off of the bone.
- Debone the chicken and brown in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes. (if you are going to add any hot seasoning not included in this recipe, this is where you do it)
- Add the browned and drained chicken bones to the stock and slowly bring to a simmer. Let simmer 4 hours, skimming the top as required.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery plus the sachet or tea ball and simmer one more hour.
- Add the shrimp shells, tails and heads and simmer 30 more minutes. Try not to stir during the simmer.
- Strain thoroughly. I slowly ladle the stock through a cheesecloth lined strainer.
- Use right away or;
- Place the stock pot in an ice bath and stir until chilled then refrigerate. (do not refrigerate w/out chilling as it could develop bacteria before cooling).
- The stock will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Before use skim the fat from the top.
THE REST OF THE EVERYTHING:
- 1 whole chicken, boiled, deboned, browned and drained.
- 2# of smoked sausage, sliced, browned and drained.
- 6# of peeled shrimp
- 6 whole blue crabs, cleaned, broken in half and the claws removed.
- 6 small cans of crab meat or 10 cans if no whole crabs used. (crab meat will settle to the bottom and stick add it last)
- 6# of okra, sliced
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 bunches of green onions w/tops chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 6 ribs of celery, chopped
- 6 to 12 short ears of corn*
- Several cloves of garlic (to taste)
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
- Cayenne pepper or preferred seasoning to taste
- Salt to taste
THE COOKING PROCESS:
- I use a turkey roaster or a turkey deep fry pot
- To 8/10 quarts of cold stock add roux, stir and bring to slow simmer
- Sauté onions, green onions, bell peppers and celery then add to stock
- Add the browned and drained chicken
- Add the bay leaves and peppers to taste then stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 1 hour (taste and season to taste)
- Add okra and corn and simmer 30 minutes (roux will thicken the mix as it simmers)
- Add the parsley, crab halves and crab claws and simmer 15 minutes
- Add the shrimp and crab meat and simmer 6 to 8 minutes (don’t overcook the shrimp)
- Skim as desired – THIS WILL STEAM UP THE KITCHEN WINDOWS AND MAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELL GOOD FOR DAYS.
SEARVE OVER BOWLS OF RICE – YUM! YUM!
• Some Wal-Mart stores sell a bag of vegetables called a gumbo mix with okra and corn + you can use a large bag of it, but I would still do some short corn ears.
If you like your gumbo then that's all that counts. Great job! 
