Traditional Creole gumbo made with roux, shrimp, sausage, and crabmeat.
Preparation Time
60 mins
Cooking Time
2 hr 40 mins
Total Time
3 hr 40 mins
Calories
283 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Combine water and beef bouillon cubes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until bouillon cubes dissolve, then whisk roux mixture into the boiling water.
Step 2
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add okra and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes; remove okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.
Step 3
Make the roux: Whisk together flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Cook roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
Step 4
Make the gumbo: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir vegetables into the roux, and mix in sausage. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 5
Reduce heat to a simmer and mix in sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
Step 6
Mix in reserved vegetables, crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
3 quarts water
6 cubes beef bouillon
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 pound lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste
3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons file powder, divided
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
0.5 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
0.75 cup bacon drippings
0.5 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's®), or to taste
