How To Create A Perfect Homemade Gumbo Just In Time For Mardi Gras

Everyone has that particular comfort food they turn to when they need something to warm their soul after a hard day.

For a long time now, gumbo has been that food for me. But when you live in New York City, many miles away from New Orleans, the chances of finding a really great bowl become fairly limited. I’ve had some good finds through the years, but I’ve always been tempted to try to recreate it myself at home, so I can enjoy it whenever I want, in endless quantities.

Of course, that is intimidating in its own right. Gumbo is serious business, and hard to do right. There’s many variations​, and every chef has their own time-honored method. But even with all the variations in gumbo, you’ll find there are certain common themes.

It’s getting a handle on these themes that just may help those of us who are nervous get a handle on making a great gumbo, just in time for Mardi Gras.

“T​hree areas to think about when deciding what type of gumbo recipe you would like to prepare are- thickener(s), protein(s), and techniques,” said Michael Handal, chef-instructor of Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Start simple

Believe it or not, a great gumbo begins with using the right oil to start your roux. That right there is the imperative foundation.

“It’s important that you use a neutral flavor oil such as canola, peanut, avocado or grapeseed,” said Ryan Pearson, Executive Chef at Couvant at The Eliza Jane in New Orleans.

Do not use olive oil. “Bring the neutral oil to a smoke point. Slowly whisk in all-purpose flour. As you add the flour it will cool your oil. Using this method will reduce the roux prep time in half,” said Pearson.

Thickeners

Chef David Guas, born and raised in New Orleans, has cooked his share of roux—and knows its nuances. According to Guas, a cook must understand how to read roux’s color for flavor. Nailing the perfect hue for gumbo is also knowing to stop a little early, Guas says. The holy trinity (celery, bell pepper, onion) cooks in the roux, deepening its color further. “It comes with experience,” Guas says. “No one sticks a thermometer in roux—that’s sacrilege.” He follows the sage advice of his Aunt Boo in Abbeville, Louisiana. “She said, ‘Your roux should be like the bayou after a heavy rain,’” he says. “Once the mud and silt gets kicked up you get a muddy color—that’s the color you should go for.”

A dark roux is a must when thinking about gumbos. “The nutty, earthy flavor forms the base of the gumbo,” said Handal.

One of the best gumbos I have ever had was that at Gris-Gris, so I knew I had to ask the chef his secret. Turns out, it’s quite simple. “Everyone will tell you the key to a great gumbo starts with the roux,” said Chef Eric Cook at Gris-Gris in New Orleans. “ I use equal parts flour to oil. A dark roux takes time and patience, but when done properly, there is no substitute.”

Cook makes his roux for his gumbo by stirring constantly and slowly, to ensure he doesn’t burn the roux. But, he says, that also gives you plenty of time to enjoy your company and maybe have a glass of wine…or two. “Celery, onions and bell peppers, the holy trinity, is the next step. Add them to stop the cooking process when your roux is where you want it, I like a dark fudge color. Cooking your vegetables down is the beginning of that rich layer of flavors that win your family over every time,” said Cook.

Some gumbos mostly rely on this as the thickener, although it is important to remember that the longer a roux is cooked, there is less thickening that will occur in the finished dish. I’ve learned this the hard way in my own gumbo experiments. “It’s helpful to note here that the dark roux used in gumbo is especially important for the flavor component. Using a dark roux alone as a thickener would provide a nice starting point for a gumbo preparation at home,” said Handal.

The next step to take in the thickening process would be to think about adding filé powder, which is used in some recipes as an addition to the dark roux. “Filé powder (or gumbo filé) is made from the dried and ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Native American Choctaw Indians were the first to use this spice as a seasoning. Filé is derived from the French, meaning to become “ropy” or turn to “threads”, which describes the consistency of the filé powder when used as a thickener,” said Handal.

Okra is also a traditional method used to thicken gumbos. “Indeed, the very word gombo, means okra in several African dialects. Okra adds a decidedly viscous quality to a gumbo, which some find to be off-putting and some an acquired taste, while others feel it to be a very traditional and a necessary ingredient,” said Handal.

While most gumbos contain a dark roux, some gumbos use filé powder or okra as an additional ingredient added to the use of the roux, but usually not both in the same dish.

Proteins

One of the beautiful things about gumbo is that it can be whatever you want it to be. This can be dictated by available ingredients, season, or even personal preferences. While some people love a shrimp or crab gumbo, others may swear by chicken and sausage or turkey. “A good dark chicken stock is what I prefer when cooking a poultry and sausage gumbo, you can use fresh seafood if you like, the process is almost exactly the same. Fresh local andouille is my go-to for this recipe and you can use roasted chicken or wild ducks when in season,” said Cook, who then believes to simmer slowly and low for the rest of the way is the move. “Let your flavors all come together, usually it takes about 2 hours for the roux to really blend all your ingredients perfectly together. Season with your favorite Creole spices, I love Zatarain’s,, and serve with rice or have a potato salad for your Cajun friends. The best thing about gumbo is it can be unique to you and your family recipes, because you can never have the “best gumbo” but being second best in the South is a win,” said Cook.

Protein use in gumbos has quite a range, from seafood to shellfish, from poultry and game birds, to beef and veal, to furred animals and wildlife. “To help navigate this broad category, a nice starting point might be a chicken and andouille sausage preparation. If you are so inclined, the addition of shrimp here would add a nice complement to the chicken and sausage without becoming too unfamiliar or jarring,” said Handal.

Techniques

While it is definitely true that all recipes require keeping an eye on our dish as we prepare it, this is especially true when making a great pot of gumbo.

“From the careful and patient preparation of the dark roux, to the addition of vegetable and aromatics that cannot burn, to the careful cooking of proteins so that they do not toughen and become dry and stringy, to a possible final thickening with filé powder added off the heat, understanding each of the steps and executing them with due attention, will produce a finished gumbo that is something to be proud of and enjoyed with family and friends,” said Handal.

Making things a bit easier

Seems like a ton of work? I tend to agree. But there’s some starters and mixes that help to get a lot of the work done for you – and still result in a yummy gumbo.

Camellia Beans Gumbo Cajun Roux Base: This is a yummy blend of Cajun spices and vegetables, and a way to make a complex-tasting gumbo in under an hour, from scratch.

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Gumbo Mix: This couldn’t be easier to make and makes delicious results.

Zatarin’s Gumbo Mix: Also easy to follow, all you need is water, the mix, your proteins of choice, and get ready for a hearty weeknight meal.