A 100% Classic New Orleans Gumbo Recipe (Your Ticket to the Deep South)

Gumbo Deconstructed

Gumbo is a Southern dish that originates in Louisiana. It is a soup or stew typically made with seafood, vegetables, and spices. The most popular version of gumbo contains shrimp, okra, and crab. Other common ingredients include sausage, chicken, rice, and file powder (a dried herb). This thick, flavorful stew is usually served over rice, but it can also be served with potatoes or pasta.

The simplicity and rich flavors of this dish make it one of the most popular products of Louisiana's shared Creole and Cajun heritage. Our traditional New Orleans gumbo recipe tilts towards Creole flavors with its use of tomatoesan ingredient most Cajun gumbos leave out. Either way, it promises to immediately transport you to the vibrant streets of that southern city.

Gumbo Recipe Origin Story

There are some dishes that have such deep roots (like the Meatloaf Recipe for example), that one cannot launch into the recipe itself without a tour of its history. Gumbo, too, has a rich origin story that makes this dish doubly interesting.

Just like chili is synonymous with Texas, gumbo goes back to Louisiana. The Bayou State has known gumbo for over 300 years, mostly in the form of a one-pot soup-and-rice dish. This classic dish cuts across class barriers, generations and the motley cultures that make up the Louisianan life. While the ingredients may change depending on who's preparing it, the basic essence of the rich, flavorful stew remains the same.

The name gumbo comes from 'ki ngombo', the term for 'okra' in the Central Bantu dialect of West Africa. Okra is the primary ingredient in the gumbo recipe, hence the name. Gumbo has traces not only of West African, but of Spanish, Native American, and French culinary traditions too. The Spanish threw in the shrimp, the Choctaw People added file powder, and the French gave it its distinctive roux.

When the slave trade forcibly transported Africans to North America, the foods they prepared in their new home married old familiar recipes with new, local ingredients. One of these, emerging in Louisiana, was a one-pot meal that mixed okra with rice. Over the years, Louisiana's other immigrants and locals added their own signature techniques and ingredients to the recipe. This potpourri of influences is what gives rise to the debate surrounding the true origins of the gumbo recipe. While some declare its roots to be undeniably African, others claim Native American parentage. The jury is still out on this one.

In 1824, a gumbo recipe was committed to print for the very first time. Thereafter, as more cookbooks started to disseminate the recipe, gumbo's popularity started spreading beyond Louisiana's borders. The dish became hugely popular in the 1980s, when celebrated chefs started taking interest in this brew, causing its appeal to spill over across the nation.

Ingredients for Your Classic New Orleans Gumbo

While there are various versions of the New Orleans gumbo recipe, all of them must have these key ingredients-

Okra- This is what gives gumbo its unique name. Okra thickens the stew, while its slime maintains the water content. Some recipes also use file powder for the same purpose.

The Holy Trinity- The gumbo recipe's holy trinity is one part green bell pepper, one part white onion, and one part celery.

Meat- There are several meats you can use for your gumbo recipe, including Andouille sausage, bacon, chicken and sausage, shrimps, crab, or chicken thighthe choice is entirely yours.

Roux- This traditional French thickening and coloring agent is a combination of all-purpose flour and fat or oil cooked in a saucepan till it becomes dark brown.

In addition to the above ingredients, here's what else goes into this recipe.

• lb Andouille sausage
  
• 5 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 lb shrimp
  
• 2 oz all purpose flour
  
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
  
• 2 oz butter
  
• 10 oz okra (sliced)
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
  
• 1 celery stalk
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 3 tomatoes (chopped)
  
• Salt, cayenne pepper, ground pepper
  
• Cooked rice (to serve)
  

Instructions for Making Your Classic New Orleans Gumbo

1. First, we need to prepare the dark roux. Place a Dutch oven or slow cooker on medium heat, melt the butter in it and add the flour. Stir for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens and turns dark brown.
2. Lower the heat and add the green bell pepper, onion, and celery to the slow cooker. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and continue stirring for another minute.
4. Now add the bay leaves, okra, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, ground pepper and salt for seasoning. Cook for another 5 minutes as the vegetables turn soft.
5. Add the Andouille sausage and chicken broth and continue cooking on medium heat. Bring the chicken broth to a boil as it helps cook the meat and vegetables. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let the stew simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Add the shrimp and cook for another 10 minutes.
7. The stew is now done. Serve it on a bed of rice or with some cornbread on the side and throw in some hot sauce if you want to crank up the heat. Here's a great Cornbread Recipe if you want an authentic Southern meal through and through.

How to Store Your Home-cooked Gumbo

It is important to use the right methods to store cooked food in order to ensure Food Safety. Once cooked, let it cool down completely. Then use an airtight container to refrigerate your gumbo. While proper refrigeration can keep the dish for a couple of days, it is better consumed within 72 hours.

Cajun and Creole Seasoning- What's the Difference?

The word Creole is derived from the Portuguese term for slaves of African descent who were born in the New World. However, it gradually came to refer to people of all other ethnicities, barring Native Americans. The Cajuns, on the other hand, are southern Louisianans with French-Canadian descendants.

The key difference between Cajun and Creole cooking lies in the use of tomatoes. Creole uses them while Cajun doesn't. The seasoning is different too. Both Cajun and Creole seasoning have unique flavor profiles. Cajun seasoning is made with paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, while Creole seasoning contains these spices, as well as oregano, thyme, and white pepper. Because of the additional herbs, Creole seasoning has a more complex flavor than Cajun seasoning.

Gumbo Cooking Tips and Tricks

1. Okra is a key ingredient in any gumbo recipe and it's important to choose the right type. Make Sure you choose small, young okra pods, which are more tender than larger ones. You'll usually find okra in the produce section of your grocery store.
2. When you're cooking gumbo, it's important to simmer, rather than boil. Boiling can make the gumbo oily and cause the ingredients to break down into a mush. Simmering will give you a richer flavor and a thicker consistency.
3. If you're using seafood in your gumbo, be sure to add it towards the end, so that it doesn't overcook and become tough and rubbery. You'll know your gumbo is done when it's nice and thick and the rice is cooked through.