re: Gumbo Troubleshooting

This

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Let a roux cool and see the oil at the top.

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The oil doesn't just come from the proteins. I have tried a 1:1 ratio and a 1:3/4 (oil ratio)

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Gumbo Troubleshooting by Gris Gris That recipe uses olive oil with canola to make the roux. It also says it should be thick as chowder. There's no need to purée trinity. Strange recipe.

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I don't have a lot of experience with gumbo, but a friend of mine has done a lot of traveling and has had gumbo many times in the south. I gave him some of mine and he said it was the best gumbo he's ever eaten. I'm not sure what the consistency should be. This was thinner than chowder, but thicker than soup. I'm sure you can get it as thick/thin as you want by the amount of stock you add?

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I don't have a lot of experience with gumbo, but a friend of mine has done a lot of traveling and has had gumbo many times in the south.

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Not intending to offend, but it really depends on where in the South your friend had gumbo. I've seen a lot of strange versions outside of Louisiana. The ingredients in the recipe seem fine, so I would think you'd have decent flavor.

Olive oil breaks down when used in high heat situations. I don't understand the theory behind using it at all.

Some folks like thicker gumbos and some like thinner. That's a matter of taste, but thick as a chowder is pretty darn thick. I prefer it to be more like a soup with body to the "broth"/base of the gumbo, but not muddy. Having to thin it too much in a recipe which presumes it to be thick could dilute the flavor.

The extra step of pureeing the trinity is not necessary. Trinity will cool the roux when added. I don't want that pureed texture in my gumbo either.

All of that being said, if you liked it, by all means stick with it. I've been making and eating gumbo for many years having lived here all of my life, so that recipe is a bit "foreign" to what I'm used to. Doesn't make me an expert. I'm a more traditional Cajun style gumbo eater. Some folks like the creole style with tomatoes. I don't. Some folks love okra in their gumbo. I prefer it without. Doesn't mean any of those options aren't good.

I loosely follow Paul Prudhomme's chicken and andouille gumbo from his first cookbook unless I'm making smoked chicken or turkey. I still use the same ingredients etc for those. I'm not a measurer. I've made it so much that I just do it. I use stocks rather than water. I'm sort of a purist. I don't use a bunch of herbs and certainly not bay leaves (Otis!).

I'll look for his recipe. Also, there a few recipes in the recipe book in the sticky above.

Here's PP's recipe. It's a great place to start when trying to make gumbo.

LINK



Makes 6 main-dish or 10 appetizer servings

One 2- to 3-pound chicken, cut up
Salt
Garlic powder
Ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
(preferably cayenne)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
About 7 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound andouille smoked sausage
(preferred) or any other good
pure smoked pork sausage such as
Polish sausage (kielbasa), cut
into 1/4-inch cubes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Hot cooked rice

Remove excess fat from the chicken pieces. Rub a generous amount of
salt, garlic powder and red pepper on both sides of each pieces, making
sure each is evenly covered. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl combine the onions, bell peppers and celery; set aside.
Combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper in a paper or plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake until chicken is well coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour.
In a large heavy skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of oil until very hot (375 to 400 degrees F). Fry the chicken until crust is brown on both sides and meat is cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes per side; drain on paper towels. Carefully
pour the hot oil into a glass measuring cup, leaving as many of the browned particles in the pan as possible. Scrape the bottom with a metal whisk to loosen any stuck particles, then return 1/2 cup of the hot oil to the pan.
Place pan over high heat. Using a long-handled metal whisk, gradually stir
in the reserved 1/2 cup flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until roux is dark
red-brown to black, about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let it
scorch or splash on your skin. Remove from heat and immediately add the
reserved vegetable mixture, stirring constantly until the roux stops getting
darker. Return pan to low heat and cook until vegetables are soft, about
5 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the pan bottom well.
Meanwhile, place the stock in a 5 1/2-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Return to a boil, stirring and scraping pan bottom often. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the andouille and minced garlic. Simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring often
toward the end of the cooking time.
While the gumbo is simmering, bone the cooked chicken and cut the
meat into 1/2-inch dice. When the gumbo is cooked, stir in the chicken
and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
To serve as a main course, mound 1/3 cup cooked rice in the center of a
soup bowl; ladle about 1 1/4 cups gumbo around the rice. For an appetizer,
place 1 heaping teaspoon cooked rice in a cup and ladle about 3/4 cup
gumbo on top.