Seafood and Sausage Gumbo

John Folse' recipe
Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
PREP TIME: 1 Hour
SERVES: 12


COMMENT:
The premier soup of Cajun country, seafood gumbo, is known worldwide as the dish to seek out when visiting South Louisiana. There are as many recipes for this soup as there are people who cook it. This, however, is my favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound (35-count) shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
2 dozen shucked oysters, reserve liquid
3 quarts shellfish stock
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup diced garlic
1/2 pound sliced andouille sausage
1 pound claw crabmeat
2 cups sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and cayenne pepper
Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
METHOD:
In a 7-quart cast iron dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in flour and, using a wire whisk, stir constantly until brown roux is achieved. Do not allow roux to scorch. Should black specks appear in roux, discard and begin again. Once roux is golden brown, add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté approximately 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add andouille, blend well into vegetable mixture and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes. Add claw crabmeat and stir into roux. This will begin to add seafood flavor to the mixture. Slowly add hot shellfish stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 30 minutes. Add additional stock if necessary to retain volume. Add green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. Fold shrimp, lump crabmeat, oysters and reserved oyster liquid into soup. Return to a low boil and cook approximately 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve over cooked rice.

I don't mix sausage with seafood gumbo. Ever.

I'm SE LA bayou born and raised, ethnically Cajun, French speaking, and we mix seafood and meat all the time. Seafood is just like any other ingredient--use it when and where you like it. Most ppl with abundant & low cost access to seafood don't make a big deal of mixing it w/various other things. I can take you to literally dozens and dozens of restaurants with a mixed seafood (usually sausage, sometimes ham, sometimes both) gumbo on the menu.

You don't need a special recipe to put sausage in your seafood gumbo. I like to cut sausage into quarter rounds and brown it a bit before adding it along with the celery & bell pepper to your roux. Or, if you're using jarred roux, brown the veg & sausage together, add liquid, then add the jarred roux when the mixture is at a full rolling boil.

Plenty of people in NOLA (esp black creoles) make an "everything in the pot" gumbo incorporating gumbo crabs, smoked sausage, fresh sausage, and oysters.

For every gumbo rule someone cites to you, we can find plenty of people who routinely break that rule, with delicious effects.

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I'm SE LA bayou born and raised, ethnically Cajun, French speaking, and we mix seafood and meat all the time.

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Must be from the 'wrong' bayou then.

I kid. But seriously, shrimp has such a delicate flavor that any introduction of sausage completely overwhelms the entire dish. Some things are just better kept separate

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What about Duck, Andouille and Oyster Gumbo?

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I don't make it or eat. I'm not a game fan.

Never would I overpower the flavor of crab or shrimp with sausage or andouille in gumbo. The roux is a strong enough flavor. Personal preference. Not right or wrong.

Yeah, I'm want to see their shrimp and grits recipe. I mean I know shrimp and sausage don't go together and all. We all know Folse is a hack, but Besh? What about smothered okra and shrimp?

OP I cut my sausage in half slices, brown, remove then cook my okra down in drippings.

Cook what you want and eat what you want, I cook about 5 gallons of shrimp and crab gumbo with some sausage every year for Christmas, I have yet to have anybody that did not care for it or much for leftovers (it also has okra in it, but you would never know it because it is smothered down to an oblivion)

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What about Duck, Andouille and Oyster Gumbo?




I don't make it or eat. I'm not a game fan.

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Use domestic duck.

Make a sausage gumbo just as you would a chicken and sausage but don't add the chicken. 2-3 minutes before you cut the fire add the shrimp, then add the crab meat.


My PawPaw from Chauvin made that often. My Mama from Vacherie made shrimp and sausage too. It's not uncommon.