Ultimate Gulf Coast Gumbo

This gumbo recipe is made with shrimp, crab, chicken, sausage, vegetables, and Cajun spices. Serve it over rice with garlic bread and a cold beer.

• Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 50 mins
• Calories: 333 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 quarts water
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 5 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
• 3 (6 ounce) cans crab meat, drained
• 1 pound andouille sausage, diced
• 2 tablespoons file powder
• 2 tablespoons seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®)
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 pounds medium shrimp
• 0.5 cup corn oil

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Peel and devein shrimp. Place shrimp into a bowl; cover and refrigerate until needed. Place shrimp heads and shells into a large pot.

Step 2

Pour 2 quarts water into the pot, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until liquid is reduced by half. Strain out and discard shrimp heads and shells. Reserve shrimp broth.

Step 3

Heat oil in a very large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook and stir with a long-handled spoon until dark brown and flour puffs and starts to absorb oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly stir in chicken broth and 1 cup water. Place chicken into the pot; add tomatoes, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, seafood seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 4

Remove chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard bones; chop meat into 1-inch pieces.

Step 5

Return chopped chicken to the pot, along with reserved shrimp broth, crab meat, sausage, shrimp, and filé powder; stir from the bottom of the pot to combine. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.

Step 6

Stir gumbo from the bottom for 1 minute. Remove bay leaves and serve.