Big Charlie's Gumbo

This is a basic gumbo recipe with a lot of added flavor. You can omit the stew meat if you choose or add something in its place. I recommend you serve this recipe over rice, like many other gumbo recipes.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr
• Total Time: 3 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 421 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped onion
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 8 cups water
• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ lemon
• 1 pound okra, chopped
• ½ pound cubed beef stew meat (Optional)
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• ½ pound crabmeat, flaked
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• file powder (see Note)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, onions, celery and okra, stirring constantly until golden brown. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup of butter and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes chocolate brown. Stir in the vegetable mixture, and stew meat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, and meat is evenly brown. Stir in water, tomatoes and sugar. Season with parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

Add shrimp, crabmeat and andouille to stock pot. Stir in hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove seeds from lemon and squeeze juice into stock pot. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves, sprinkle with filé powder, if using, and serve over rice.