Dad’s Seafood Gumbo

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It’s become a holiday tradition to make gumbo leading up to Christmas. While gumbo might not be a visual showstopper, it’s one of the hardest things to make, taking two days, but is totally worth it in the end. My parents have been working on perfecting it for the better part of 25 years. Each batch of gumbo is slightly unique. The flavors take a while to percolate and meld together, but once they do, it’s a New Orleans party in your bowl!

Everyone makes gumbo a little differently, and there more than a few ways to make a roux (the base of the gumbo).

A few tips before we get started:

  • I don’t use celery since I am allergic, but you could easily add to veggie mix.
  • I recommend having a glass of wine and your charged cell phone near by for entertainment during the stirring process.
  • Prep all Day #1 ingredients before you get started cooking the roux. My instructions include this, but it’s important as you can’t really stop stirring the roux.
  • I started heat at 2-3 on electric stove for 45 min, stirring constantly. Brought heat up to 4 after 45 min. Never went over 4.  Whatever you do – don’t stop stirring.
  • The roux does lighten back up when you add the chicken broth. If that bothers you, you can do 4 cups chicken and 2 cups beef. I haven’t tried it, but a lot of blogs mentioned it.
  • Have some extra chicken broth on hand to add as you reheat, if needed.

Kitchen items:

  • Large dutch oven
  • Cast iron skillet
  • Large stock pan
  • Firm wooden flat edge spatula
  • Wire whisk

Dad's Christmas Seafood Gumbo

By: Katherine Tinsley
Ingredients
  • Day #1:
  • 1 cup 100% vegetable oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose white flour
  • 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced in 1/2 in circles
  • 1 bag frozen diced okra
  • 1 large onion (buy the pre-chopped in the produce section, use approx. 1/2 container)
  • 1 large green bell pepper (buy the pre-chopped in the produce section, use approx. 1/2 container)
  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 large rotisserie chicken (meat pulled + shredded)
  • 1 can rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
  • 6 cups of chicken broth
  • 8 oz clam juice
  • 3 bay leaves, dried
  • Tabasco to taste (1-2 large ish dashes)
  • Worcestershire sauce (1-2 large ish dashes)

  • Day #2:
  • 1 lb shrimp, thawed (or fresh), de-veined and peeled
  • 1 pint of shucked oysters

  • Serving Accompaniments:
  • Green scallions
  • Parsley
  • Hot sauce (Tabasco)
  • White rice (cooked)
  • Crusty french bread and butter
  • Seasonal salad
Directions
Step 1
Begin preparations at least 1 day prior to serving. Start by arranging all Day #1 ingredients on the counter, measured, diced, sliced, pulled, etc. I use paper plates for easy clean-up.
Step 2
Pour chicken broth, clam juice, and Tabasco into large stock pan and set on low on back burner. Stock should warm, but not boil.
Step 3
Cook sliced andouille sausage in cast iron skillet, remove from heat and reserve.
Step 4
Add frozen okra to cast iron in sausage juices and cook until browned. Set aside to reserve.
Step 5
Microwave oil for 20-30 seconds to start warming process. Add to dutch oven over low-medium heat.
Step 6
From the moment you add the flour, be prepared to start stirring with the wooden flat edge spatula. It’s important to scrape the bottom of the pan constantly to create air between the heat from the pan and the roux. If you start to get brown bits, it’s burning. Start over.
Step 7
Whisk in flour. Roux should look light and cloudy – oat milk ish. Whatever you do – don’t stop stirring. Stir constantly over low-medium (2-3) heat for 45 minutes. Color should start to turn copper, and after about 45 min, slightly increase heat (3-4) and stir for 30 more minutes until the roux is a copper penny color (like a melted caramel). Consistency should be 100% smooth.
Step 8
Turn off burner and bring roux to heat protected surface (I put my pot on a pot holder on the counter) and keep stirring for at least 10 minutes to start to cool the roux.
Step 9
After about 10 minutes, begin to ladle in warm broth (pot is still not on the stove), still stirring constantly. Adding broth should take about 30 minutes, still stirring. The heat from the broth is all you need – if you put the pot back on the burner, the roux will get too hot and start to burn.
Step 10
Once you have all the chicken broth incorporated, move pot back to burner on low-medium heat (3-4) and keep stirring. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic to warm stock pan and sauté. (You’re still stirring your roux).
Step 11
Once the veggies are sautéed (approx. 10-15 min), slowly incorporate into the roux over the course of about 10-15 min, still stirring constantly.
Step 12
Once veggies are incorporated, add the rotel, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce, still stirring. Slowly add cooked sausage, chicken, and okra and stir for approx. 30 more minutes.
Step 13
Now, everything has been added for Day #1. Judge it based on your feeling, but maybe stir for an additional 15 minutes on the heat if you think it needs it. Remove from heat and stir for the next 10-15 minutes to let the gumbo begin to come to room temperature. Let rest for 30-45 minutes, and then put dutch oven in the fridge overnight.
Step 14
The next day before serving (ideally giving the gumbo at least 24 hours to rest since putting it in the fridge), remove and place on low-medium heat (3-4) and stir every 3-5 minutes to prevent any burning as it reheats and increase stirring frequency as the gumbo gets hotter. Be patient – it might take 30-45 minutes to bring the pot back to hot since the heat is so low.
Step 15
Once the gumbo is hot, add shrimp and stir until shrimp are pink (5-10 minutes, depending on shrimp size). Heat cast iron skillet with high temp oil on high and add oysters 3-5 at time for 20-30 seconds to “kiss” them with heat and slightly brown.
Step 16
Serve with 1/4-1/2 cup of rice, depending on size of bowl. Top with generous portion of gumbo, add 2-3 oysters to each bowl, and garnish with scallions and parsley.
Step 17
Serve with seasonal salad and warm bread! Enjoy!

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