Gumbo

[After irth 1240]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:31 PM, HeHateMe said:

My first attempt 

Based on your finished product, I’d say you did well. Looks great!

[BearSchlong 8003]

The regular (party time) is great on a bun / tortilla.

Especially at the turn at Bayou Din golf course, with mustard.

Mark Zummo is a generous contributor to nonprofits, including the one where I serve as treasurer. We serve/sell $20k in gumbo the Saturday before the super bowl every year and he provides much of the meat.

[ScooterHTX 110]

That looks really good.  One question.  Are those tomatoes?  Or is that okra that's picked up some spice?  I'll take my answer off the air.

Neither. Use red and green bell peppers

[ScooterHTX 110]

Made gumbo last night.  My wife was grossed out that I ate it Cajun style with a scoop of potato salad instead of rice.  Once you go potato salad, you don't go back.

Over started just cooking boudain, cutting it up, and serving the gumbo over that instead of rice. Sometimes you can just buy a big thing of the DJ’s boudain dressing. Much easier

That, potato salad, or just straight gumbo. White rice is pretty boring.

[RMac5 1547]

How long is homemade turkey stock good in the freezer?

[DalTxHornFan 3071]

6 minutes ago, RMac5 said:

How long is homemade turkey stock good in the freezer?

How long has your freezer been out?  If your answer is never -- the answer is never.  Bring it to a boil if you have any reason to question it.

[DalTxHornFan 3071]

2 hours ago, ScooterHTX said:

White rice is pretty boring.

Respectfully disagree.  The texture of the individual kernels of Zatarain's or other similar brands of par-boiled rice along with a solid gumbo is an other worldly experience.  Let boudin be boudin. Let gumbo rice be gumbo rice.

[PantsTent 1998]

Cooking a turkey Wednesday just for the purpose of making turkey and sausage gumbo for the tailgate Friday.  And of course turkey stock will be made from the carcass.  

[kilroydos 266]

6 minutes ago, PantsTent said:

Cooking a turkey Wednesday just for the purpose of making turkey and sausage gumbo for the tailgate Friday.  And of course turkey stock will be made from the carcass.  

I'm keeping the carcass from my family's thanksgiving, and making a turkey of my own when I get back into town.  The first friends gettogether after Thanksgiving always means gumbo.

[South Austin 51632]

9 hours ago, PantsTent said:

Cooking a turkey Wednesday just for the purpose of making turkey and sausage gumbo for the tailgate Friday.  And of course turkey stock will be made from the carcass.  

[dcbc 14247]

We're heading to Austin on Friday.  So I'll be making gumbo on Thursday after lunch (probably to store for when we get home).  I'm trying to streamline the process and will be doing an oven-roux ahead of time (Wednesday), which I will store in a jar in the fridge.  That and doing all the veggies/sausage chopping/slicing ahead of time should cut down on the time considerably.  

[South Austin 51632]

Team Turkey Gumbo 2023 -- Will be making the turkey stock on Thursday after cleaning up the Thanksgiving meal (using Emeril's simple but effective turkey stock recipe), but since much of Friday will be consumed with pre-game prep and festivities, I won't be making the gumbo until Saturday.

[Bozo_Casanova 25874]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Team Turkey Gumbo 2023 -- Will be making the turkey stock on Thursday after cleaning up the Thanksgiving meal (using Emeril's simple but effective turkey stock recipe), but since much of Friday will be consumed with pre-game prep and festivities, I won't be making the gumbo until Saturday.

same here except making stock on friday.

[1978horn 867]

Made some Gumbo today for the In-laws while in North Carolina.
Start of the roux



Roux is done

Veggies added

Sausage(andouille) and chicken added

[1978horn 867]

In a bowl with bread for sopping!

[dcbc 14247]

@1978horn That looks delicious!

 

Did the oven roux last night.  It went well with a few caveats.  It took way more than 2 hours at 350.  Even after 3, though dark, it wasn't as dark as I usually like it.  Of course, I can get there tomorrow on the cooktop, I guess.  It was nice to not have to stand and stir it for an hour-and-a-half.  But if I'd been in a hurry, I'd have been better off just making it on the cooktop and storing it. 

 

Got my veggies and sausage diced/cut up.  Homemade turkey stock is defrosting.  I should be able to just heat things up and go tomorrow.

Edited November 22, 2023 by dcbc

[DalTxHornFan 3071]

4 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Did the oven roux last night.  It went well with a few caveats.  It took way more than 2 hours at 350.  Even after 3, though dark, it wasn't as dark as I usually like it.  Of course, I can get there tomorrow on the cooktop, I guess.  It was nice to not have to stand and stir it for an hour-and-a-half.  But if I'd been in a hurry, I'd have been better off just making it on the cooktop and storing it. 

I like to drink while I stir the roux in my cast iron Dutch oven.  Not exactly sure how that would work with the oven roux method.

[dcbc 14247]

Just now, DalTxHornFan said:

I like to drink while I stir the roux in my cast iron Dutch oven.  Not exactly sure how that would work with the oven roux method.

It's the same, but you don't have to turn down the heat to go get another drink.  Oh, and, in my case, I was sitting down rather than standing.  So my feet liked oven-method more.

Edited November 22, 2023 by dcbc

[Zepol87 9026]

On 11/21/2023 at 8:00 AM, South Austin said:

Team Turkey Gumbo 2023 -- Will be making the turkey stock on Thursday after cleaning up the Thanksgiving meal (using Emeril's simple but effective turkey stock recipe), but since much of Friday will be consumed with pre-game prep and festivities, I won't be making the gumbo until Saturday.

I am gonna give it a go this year. Please post any tips. Frying 2 turkeys here in cali tomorrow and they’ve never had gumbo before so kind of don’t want to fuck it up 

[1978horn 867]

[mention=126]1978horn[/mention] That looks delicious!
 
Did the oven roux last night.  It went well with a few caveats.  It took way more than 2 hours at 350.  Even after 3, though dark, it wasn't as dark as I usually like it.  Of course, I can get there tomorrow on the cooktop, I guess.  It was nice to not have to stand and stir it for an hour-and-a-half.  But if I'd been in a hurry, I'd have been better off just making it on the cooktop and storing it. 
 
Got my veggies and sausage diced/cut up.  Homemade turkey stock is defrosting.  I should be able to just heat things up and go tomorrow.

I stand and stir fast at a higher heat and only for about 35-45 min.

It’s so good this way I just can’t try the oven method at my core.

[dcbc 14247]

19 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

I am gonna give it a go this year. Please post any tips. Frying 2 turkeys here in cali tomorrow and they’ve never had gumbo before so kind of don’t want to fuck it up 

There are some good tips here.

[Brisketexan 103601]

I stand and stir fast at a higher heat and only for about 35-45 min.

It’s so good this way I just can’t try the oven method at my core.

This. I just can’t do it any other way.

[dcbc 14247]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

This. I just can’t do it any other way.

I'm just used to medium heat for an hour-and-a-half.  If we weren't heading to Austin on Friday, I wouldn't worry with doing so much in advance and would happily stand over the pot, lazily stirring and drinking for the long stretch.  But Friday's out.  So it's getting crammed into t-giving day.

[Bozo_Casanova 25874]

14 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

This. I just can’t do it any other way.

Exactly- making roux is as close as American southern people get to the discipline of a sushi master cutting fugu or a French chef making a perfect omelette - it's an act of sensory focus that requires focus, patience, intention. It's a simple but incredibly difficult thing, and the knowlege of how to do it cannot be learned, it must be stolen. No shortcuts, no tricks, no hacks - gijutsu wo nusumu.
 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[dcbc 14247]

17 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Exactly- making roux is as close as American southern people get to the discipline of a sushi master cutting fugu or a French chef making a perfect omelette - it's an act of sensory focus that requires focus, patience, intention. It's a simple but incredibly difficult thing, and the knowlege of how to do it cannot be learned, it must be stolen. No shortcuts, no tricks, no hacks - gijutsu wo nusumu.
 

It's my preference as well.  But the oven thing works fine.  I work with a woman whose parents are Cajun.  She said a lot of the old-timers do oven roux.  I still like to be involved in the process though.

[Bozo_Casanova 25874]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

It's my preference as well.  But the oven thing works fine.  I work with a woman whose parents are Cajun.  She said a lot of the old-timers do oven roux.  I still like to be involved in the process though.

A famous Indian hermit who had once been a rich trader retreated to a cave high in the Himalayas and there lived in isolation, chanting his mantra in isolation. 

After 25 years he left his cave, put down his staff and his alms bowl, shaved his beard,  and went back to the city and his old life. 

People would ask him “do you still chant the mantra?”
”No need,” he would reply.
“I listen to it.”

Edited November 23, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[dcbc 14247]

8 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

A famous Indian hermit who had once been a rich trader retreated to a cave high in the Himalayas and there lived in isolation, chanting his mantra in isolation. 

After 25 years he left his cave, put down his staff and his alms bowl, shaved his beard,  and went back to the city and his old life. 

People would ask him “do you still chant the mantra?”
”No need,” he would reply.
“I listen to it.”

A wise man and his apprentice were traveling.  They reached a river, and encountered a man who was too weak to cross.  The wise man carried the man across the river on his back while the apprentice carried the belongings both of the wise and the helpless man.  The wise man and the apprentice left the man on the other side of the river and went on their way.  The apprentice was perturbed about having to do extra work while the helpless man was carried.  Eventually, he asked the wise man why he would treat the two so differently.  The wise man responded, "Him?  I put him down hours ago."

[DalTxHornFan 3071]

2 hours ago, Zepol87 said:

I am gonna give it a go this year. Please post any tips. Frying 2 turkeys here in cali tomorrow and they’ve never had gumbo before so kind of don’t want to fuck it up 

My only tip (and I may have previously posted this up stream -- I tend to repeat myself at my advanced age) is to fry up your sausage/pork/bacon/turkey first and use this grease and the pan solids as your starter for the roux process.  Then add your lard and flour (All you guys make your own lard, don't you?  It's so easy.) and then you can really begin to make your roux. 

[dcbc 14247]

40 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

All you guys make your own lard, don't you?

Well . . . I'm working on it.

[dcbc 14247]

Whoever suggested using bread to skim the fat is a genius.  Whoever suggested eating the bread afterward is an evil genius.

[dcbc 14247]

Prepping a day ahead was a good call. I'm not hungry, but I'm about to eat.

 

/edit.  This might be my best gumbo to date.  Holy shirts and pants!  This is good!

Edited November 27, 2023 by dcbc

[South Austin 51632]

It has begun.

[South Austin 51632]

@dcbc, the color and texture of that gumbo looks fantastic.

[dcbc 14247]

[mention=548]dcbc[/mention], the color and texture of that gumbo looks fantastic.

Thanks. There may be something to that oven roux.

[Mr. Drummond 2161]

[Braff Zacklin 13298]

Full credit to y'all! I usually only ever make shrimp and sausage gumbo, but the talk in this thread leading up to Thanksgiving convinced me to whip up a batch of turkey and sausage. My expectations were low. Boy, was I wrong. This shit is the bomb!

I normally make turkey tortilla soup from the leftovers, but this might be the way going forward.

[South Austin 51632]

Posting the turkey gumbo in process now in case I forget after a day of football and day drinking. Used the turkey stock and turned it up to 11 by making the roux with rendered duck fat. Added Worcestershire and soy sauce as taught by my Cajun friend in Breaux Bridge. Waiting a couple hours before I add the turkey so it doesn’t get too stringy.

[luke duke 6361]

24qt pot. Going to have lots of stock.

[South Austin 51632]

[elfenix 34109]

4 hours ago, South Austin said:

Posting the turkey gumbo in process now in case I forget after a day of football and day drinking. Used the turkey stock and turned it up to 11 by making the roux with rendered duck fat. Added Worcestershire and soy sauce as taught by my Cajun friend in Breaux Bridge. Waiting a couple hours before I add the turkey so it doesn’t get too stringy.

 

i'll hold half my sausage back while letting the rest get a good soaking in your mom.

[South Austin 51632]

3 minutes ago, elfenix said:

i'll hold half my sausage back while letting the rest get a good soaking in your mom.

[RMac5 1547]

Love potato salad with gumbo! 

[elfenix 34109]

2 hours ago, South Austin said:

yeah that didn't land. 

what i'm talking about is holding half of the browned sausage back so that it doesn't lose its flavor and texture into the broth, and adding it with just a few minutes left to warm through. 

[South Austin 51632]

1 hour ago, elfenix said:

yeah that didn't land. 

what i'm talking about is holding half of the browned sausage back so that it doesn't lose its flavor and texture into the broth, and adding it with just a few minutes left to warm through. 

[Bozo_Casanova 25874]

20 hours ago, South Austin said:

Added Worcestershire and soy sauce

I put a little Red Boat Fish Sauce in mine

[dcbc 14247]

On 11/25/2023 at 2:02 PM, luke duke said:

24qt pot. Going to have lots of stock.

 

Damn!  I just added an inexpensive 12 qt stock pot, and was thinking I was King Shit of Turd mountain.  But you sir, are the Dear Leader of this shit.

[dcbc 14247]

10 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

I put a little Red Boat Fish Sauce in mine

Thought about that the other day.  I think it would be a substitute for Soy Sauce.  I did it in a Thanksgiving gravy recipe, but only about a teaspoon.  That stuff smells so nasty. 

[Bozo_Casanova 25874]

54 minutes ago, dcbc said:

That stuff smells so nasty. 

you say that like it's a bad thing 

[dcbc 14247]

8 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

you say that like it's a bad thing 

It's a contributor in a great way for sure.  But have a taste of it in a spoon. 

[luke duke 6361]

 
Damn!  I just added an inexpensive 12 qt stock pot, and was thinking I was King Shit of Turd mountain.  But you sir, are the Dear Leader of this shit.

I’ve got an 80qt pot too.