Gumbo - tell me about it. Is it supposed to have a layer of oil floating on the top when done?

S

sandi-in-hawaii

Well-known member
I started a chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo. Gonna finish it off tomorrow, by reheating, then adding the sausage and shrimp.

But there's a layer of dark colored oil on the top - I assume it's from the roux. Is it supposed to look like that? And how thick or soupy is it supposed to be?

I'm gonna search on youtube for a video!!

 
I rather think that the oil may be from the sausage, not your roux...did you use andouille?

The only kind we can get here is SW FL is, well, not great quality and I have had oil floating on mine and I'm sure that it's from the sausage. You can always refrigerate the gumbo and skim off that fat when it solidifies, that would be my suggestion.

 
I only have skinless chicken in it now - was going to add the sausage tomorrow.

Is it supposed to be pretty brothy-soupy with lots of chunks of stuff in it, or thicker like stew?

I have Bruce Aidell's andouille sausage - I'm assuming that should be pretty good. I like his other sausages.

 
If you got the roux very brown to start, it won't thicken the gumbo the way a blond roux would

A dark roux loses its thickening capacity; it's more for flavor. It may release its fat in the process. I say just skim it off and don't worry.

In my experience, gumbo should be fairly soupy, to be seved over rice, but I hope you'll here from the southerners here.

 
OK, I don't chime in very often, but I have had a bit of experience making gumbo, and I would be

pleased to share my thoughts with you...the key ingredient in a gumbo is the roux (flour and oil, usually browned).

I learned several years ago that you could make a wonderful roux in the microwave! It beats stirring the flour and oil constantly in a cast iron skillet.

Here's the roux recipe:

2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup flour
2 C chopped onions
1 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped bell pepper
4 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 C parsley, chopped
1/4 C green onion tops, chopped
1/4 C hot water

Mix the oil and flour in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir, microwave another 3 minutes. Remove from the oven (the container will be hot), stir well. The roux will be light brown. Return to the oven and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute longer until the dark color you want is reached. (This make take a few more 30-seconds cookings, to get the dark color, depending on your microwave oven.

Stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper into the same measuring cup and cook 3 minutes. Then add the garlic, parsley, and onion tops and cook 2 more minutes. IF ANY OIL HAS COME TO THE TOP, POUR THIS OFF.

 
Love this technique Marianne - I have to try this!

So after you do all this, do you heat up your stock, and add this stuff to the hot stock?

Then add in your other stuff, like the chicken, shrimp etc?

 
My husband is a true "Coon Ass" and his take is the darker

the roux the better - as you said more flavor. You are right, it should be on the soupy side and then you thicken it at the end in your bowl with file powder.

 
Here's the rest of the microwave roux-making recipe, and how I use it to make Chicken and Sausage..

Gumbo.

After you pour off (or spoon off) any oil on the top, slowly add enough hot water to bring the roux up to the 4-cup mark. (I use hot chicken broth instead of water). You now have 4 cups of roux to play with.

The original recipe for the Gumbo, using the 4 cups of roux, is:

1 chicken, divided
salt and pepper
oil or bacon drippings
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into thin rounds
4 cups microwave roux (see recipe above)
8 cups chicken broth
Cooked rice
Seasoning (Old Bay works well)
File

Bring the bony pieces of the chicken to a boil in 8 cups of salted water. Simmer until the broth is needed later in this recipe. Season the rest of the chicken with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat in oil until well browned. Add the sausage, the roux and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour or more. Season to taste. Serve over rice, and offer file powder to those who want it.

Now here's my short cuts to the above recipe.

1. Use a Wal-Mart roasted chicken, pull off meat, boil skin and bones in enough water to cover, with parsley, onion, celery, bay, whatever you have on hand, simmer 15-30 minutes.

2. Microwave sausage rounds on paper towels to degrease sausage.

3. Combine the 4 cups of roux with the chicken, sausage, 2 cans of low-sodium chicken broth, and simmer til flavors blend.

4. If I have oysters, I'll add a pint with their liquor, simmer til the edges curl. But it's fine without oysters.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of File powder to the pot, don't let it boil after you add the file.

6. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Old Bay if you like. Serve over rice.

I think the cooking time in the original recipe above is too long, use your best judgement.

Sorry I didn't give you the whole recipe last night. It was just too late!

 
Well, then, I was wrong about the oil being from the sausage! Soupy is the consistency I've usually

ended up with for gumbos. Aidell's sausage should be very good...can't remember the name of the gunk I buy but it is not Aidell's.

 
My benchmark recipe is from a New Orleans cookbook. The roux rule was to brown it

until it is the color of a darkish copper penny. We like thick stews so I adjust ours with the amount of water/broth. However, I've never notice a lot of grease on top.

I do admit to skipping the okra--blasphemer, I know--but I could never find fresh ones and the frozen or canned always looked slimy.

I know I posted it at GRS, but of course, had no luck searching for it? Couldn't find mine, BUT I found Mark in Houston had posted the same recipe. This is a great cookbook.

Bon Appetit.

{edited} FRIZZLE FRAT!!! The darn link isn't working. Okay, I'm copying/pasting it from epi.

Mark in Houston: Debbie, here's an excellent gumbo for you REC: Shrimp File Gumbo
Posted: Nov 23, 2002 12:38 PM

I've used this recipe for 23 years, and it is a never-fail hit! By the way, when you are making a roux, it's nice to lock the doors, don't answer the phone, and send the family to the mall; just you and your roux!

REC: Shrimp File Gumbo This shrimp gumbo has a rich, smoky taste to it, and the secret is the chicken cooked into the base; you remove the chicken before serving the gumbo, and it makes great "lagniappe".

Ingredients for gumbo base: 1 lb andouille smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds 2 cups chopped onions 2/3 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops 2 Tabl. finely minced fresh parsley 1 Tabl. finely minced garlic 1 frying chicken, cut up 2 lb whole fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined

For the roux: 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup flour

The liquid and the seasonings: 2 quarts cold water 3 & 1/2 tsp salt 1 & 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne 1 tsp dried thyme 3 whole bay leaves, crushed 2 & 1/2 to 3 Tabl. file powder

After assembling the ingredients for the gumbo base, heat the oil in a heavy 7 to 8 quart pot or kettle over high heat. Brown the chicken parts in the hot oil, turning several times to ensure even browning. When the chicken is brown, remove it to a heated platter and place, uncovered, in a preheated 175 F. oven to keep it warm. Make the roux by gradually adding the flour to the oil in the pot, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat until a dark brown roux (the color of milk chocolate) is formed. Whhen the roux reaches the right color, quickly add the sausage, onion, green pepper, green onion tops, parsley, and garlic. Continue cooking over low heat for 10 more minutes, stirring constantly. Then add 1/4 cup of the water, the browned chicken pieces, and all of the seasonings except the file powder; mix gently but thoroughly. Keeping the heat at low, gradually add the rest of the water and bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring gently. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is quite tender. Remove the chicken and some of the sausage slices with a slotted spoon to a deep bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another meal. Add the shrimp to the gumbo and cook for about 8 minutes longer. Remove the pot from the heat and let the simmer die down. Add the file powder and stir. Let the gumbo stand in the pot for 5 minutes after adding the file, then serve in gumbo bowls or deep soup bowls over boiled rice.

This recipe comes from The New Orleans Cookbook by Richard and Rima Collins.

http://boards.epicurious.com/thread.jspa?messageID=475234񴁢

 
My first rouxs were made from a book and I stirred carefully to get the chocolate color. Have worked

several people from that part of the country. One day on a ship was just pulling it off the heat when a gentleman passed by the galley and said "put it back on for a minute". I was afraid of burning it. He said "o.k., stir, stir, stir" In about 30 seconds this wonderful toasted smell came up. He said "pull it off and keep stirring".

Now, I go for that smell, do need to keep stirring after you take it off for 30 seconds or more to keep it from starting to scorch.

But, I'll swear the difference in my gumbo is obvious. And people from the South can recognize that smell all over the ship and know what's coming.

Nan

 
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