Best 3 Low Country Gumbo Recipes

GULLAH GUMBO

Steps:

• Whisk together the oil and flour in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is the color of peanut butter, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the celery, onion, bell pepper and tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the gumbo file, House Seasoning, mace, garlic and bay leaves. Cook until fragrant, 1 more minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, seafood stock and 1 cup water, whisking until combined. Add the turkey wing.
• Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed, for 1 hour.
• Stir in the lima beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the gumbo is thickened, about 2 hours. Add the shrimp during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Remove the turkey wing. Chop the meat and return it to the gumbo. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the parsley and green onions. Serve with hot sauce.
• Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

LOW COUNTRY GUMBO

Steps:

• Prepare the vegetables. Remove sausage from the casings and crumble. Set aside.
• Season the diced chicken with 3-4 tablespoons of Creole Spice Mix, either homemade or a high-quality store-bought mix. Dredge the chicken in ½ cup all-purpose flour.
• In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat ½ cup of lard. When melted, add the andouille and slightly flatten to an even layer; brown on both sides, just cooking through. (Do not overstir, or meat will not sear.) Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon so oil remains in pan, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.Add the chicken to the hot pan. Allow the chicken to brown and cook through in two batches, being careful not to overstir, about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside with the sausage.
• Roux: Turn the heat to low. Scrape food bits from the bottom of pan (also known as "fond") so they are loose in the melted fat. Add the remaining ½ cup lard and allow it to melt. Dust in the remaining ¾ cup flour in several small additions, whisking constantly. Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon so roux does not stick, for 30-45 minutes, until the roux is the color of peanut butter.
• Raise the heat slightly. When the roux has just begun to bubble, add the onions and stir well to coat them. Then add the celery and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, to just soften. (The goal is to "stew," not sear.) Add the garlic. Slowly add the stock in several additions, stirring and scraping constantly to deglaze and mix well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaves and the filé, and stir. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until "nappe consistency"-thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Add the chicken and sausage pieces and simmer.
• Heat a dry cast-iron skillet. Toss okra lightly in oil, then grill in the hot pan, stirring occasionally, until seared and aromatic. Remove, cool slightly, and chop into ½-inch pieces. Add to the pot and stir.
• Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Season with hot sauce, lemon, and some of the spice mix to taste. Serve with rice.
• Combine all the ingredients for the Creole Spice Mix in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO

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.