A few of you have requested my Turkey Gumbo recipe, and I'm happy to share, the only problem is that I really don't have a real recipe. Gumbo is one of those a little of this and a handful of that kind of things. I firmly believe that if you ask 100 different people how they make their gumbo, you'll get a 100 different answers. But since y'all asked so nicely, I'm going to give it a shot.A few notes before we get started:
~ Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is actually my favorite, so if you don't have any turkey available, by all means use chicken. I like to boil and debone my chicken, reserving the stock, before I get started. To make my Turkey Gumbo, I just used a few handfuls of leftover turkey and some canned stock.
~ The most important part of making a gumbo is the roux. You can find plenty of instructions online on how to make a roux, or you can just buy some of this fabulous stuff....
Premade roux is one of the world's best inventions if ya ask me. Don't think you're being less authentic if you use this stuff, every Louisiana cook I know keeps a jar of roux within their reach. It's the real deal, you just don't have to spend an hour making it yourself!
~ You need a large heavy bottom stock pot. If you use a thin pot, your roux will stick and scorch, and that would be bad.
Okay let's get started....
Ingredients:
turkey or chicken, cooked and shredded
1 lb smoked sausage, cut up
chicken stock
roux
bacon grease
onion, chopped
bell pepper, chopped
celery, chopped
greeen onions, chopped
parsley, chopped
garlic, chopped
salt, pepper and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning* to taste
Method:
Add about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to stock pot, throw in all the chopped vegetables and saute until tender. Add smoked sausage and allow to cook a few minutes to get a nice color on the sausage. You may have to add a little water to keep from scorching the bottom of the pot. Next, add about 3 or 4 tablespoons of roux and mix well. Add stock while stirring to incorporate the roux. More stock, water or roux can be added as gumbo cooks to achieve desired consistancy. Add turkey, salt, pepper and Tony's and allow to cook for about 45 minutes. Be sure to stir often, add more liquid as needed and add more seasoning if desired. Serve over rice with Saltine crackers. DEELISH!
The longer a gumbo sits, the better it tastes. In my opinion, it'a always better the next day! It also freezes very well.
* If you haven't discovered Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning yet, please order you a case right this very minute! I promise you won't be sorry.The kind folks at Tony Chacher's and Savoie's have no idea who I am and have not paid me a single cent for giving them some pub. I just love their products and think they're worth sharing.
I know my gumbo instructions are kind of confusing, so if you have any questions just ask! :-)
~The Gridiron Girl
2 comments:
whoa whoa whoa... cook a whole entire chicken BEFORE you cook the gumbo?
I need to sit down for a second.
Ok. Also, you know how they say "If you can't buy it in NYC, you don't need it?" (well, you might not) anyway, you can't buy Tony's in NYC.
Seriously.
When Bruce and I were in VA this summer, we loaded up on the Tony's. People thought we were crazy for basically buying every shaker the grocery store had. :)
Dumb Yankees don't know what they're missing.
(also, them yanks can't do pulled pork or ham worth a damn either.)
Ah pork. How I miss thee.
You have just made me a happy, happy girl.
And, oddly enough, you can buy Tony's in Idaho...
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