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Making a gumbo ahead of time
Posted on 12/16/18 at 10:12 am
Posted on 12/16/18 at 10:12 am
I'm going to be serving gumbo to about 20-25 people Friday night. I make Donald Link's fried chicken gumbo recipe and it's always a hit.
A couple of questions here so I don't spend 6 hours on Thursday putting things together.
1. How far ahead should I make the roux? Do I store it in the fridge and reheat it?
2. I've always used store-bought or made by someone else stock. I know it's basically bones, seasoning, and water, but does anyone have a great recipe for a chicken and sausage gumbo stock? How far ahead should I make this? Freeze it?
A couple of questions here so I don't spend 6 hours on Thursday putting things together.
1. How far ahead should I make the roux? Do I store it in the fridge and reheat it?
2. I've always used store-bought or made by someone else stock. I know it's basically bones, seasoning, and water, but does anyone have a great recipe for a chicken and sausage gumbo stock? How far ahead should I make this? Freeze it?
Posted on 12/16/18 at 10:33 am to tlsu15
Just make the whole thing Thursday like normal then put in the fridge. Reheat Friday and it’ll be great.
This post was edited on 12/16/18 at 10:34 am
Posted on 12/16/18 at 10:49 am to tlsu15
When I make large quantities of gumbo for parties, I always do it a day or two ahead of time and refrigerate it until the day needed and then heat it up. Gumbo, red beans, red gravies, etc. are always better a day or two later anyway.
As for making stocks, I buy chicken leg quarters and split breasts when on sale and there are always cut off pieces I use to make the stocks. With leg quarters there is always a bit of the back attached to the end of the thigh and with split breasts, the bones and cartilage is used. I tend to toss most of the skin since it really adds little flavor and lots of grease.
I'll add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and some Worcestershire and soy sauce to the pot and cook it for about 12 hours so it reduces nicely and becomes very rich. Once done cooking, put it in the fridge so it cools and the fat comes to the top and sets. Then it is easy to remove and the stock, if done right should look like jello and not very liquid.
If you have too much, it freezes great in quart freezer bags for later use.
You should get by with 2-3 gallons depending on what else is being served. I will always have rice and potato salad when I make gumbo for that many people.
As for making stocks, I buy chicken leg quarters and split breasts when on sale and there are always cut off pieces I use to make the stocks. With leg quarters there is always a bit of the back attached to the end of the thigh and with split breasts, the bones and cartilage is used. I tend to toss most of the skin since it really adds little flavor and lots of grease.
I'll add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and some Worcestershire and soy sauce to the pot and cook it for about 12 hours so it reduces nicely and becomes very rich. Once done cooking, put it in the fridge so it cools and the fat comes to the top and sets. Then it is easy to remove and the stock, if done right should look like jello and not very liquid.
If you have too much, it freezes great in quart freezer bags for later use.
You should get by with 2-3 gallons depending on what else is being served. I will always have rice and potato salad when I make gumbo for that many people.
This post was edited on 12/16/18 at 11:56 am
Posted on 12/16/18 at 10:54 am to tlsu15
For stock, buy a pack of chicken necks, put them in a big pot with some stalks of celery, onion, and other vegetables (if you want).
Fill pot up with water and boil for an hour.
If you want it to be even better, season and broil the necks on both sides before putting them I. The pot.
Fill pot up with water and boil for an hour.
If you want it to be even better, season and broil the necks on both sides before putting them I. The pot.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 12:03 pm to SUB
some argue that you are making 'broth', not 'stock', but I do similar to what you do. I typically use a whole chicken or two, instead of necks, then debone the chicken and reserve the meat and use the liquid as the base for my gumbo.
Stock snobs insist that the bones have to be roasted, before added to the water.
Stock snobs insist that the bones have to be roasted, before added to the water.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 12:10 pm to gumbo2176
You can also get an ice tray freeze the stock in them, once frozen transfer them to a freezer bag. If you need a little stock just drop a chicken stock cube in.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 12:58 pm to tlsu15
When I make Paul Prudhomme's fried chicken gumbo, I fry the chicken usually the night before or so. When it cools, I cut it up and simmer the bones, sometimes with some other chicken pieces like wing parts, to make the stock. PP uses skinless chicken. I think Link uses chicken with skin, but discards the bones and skin. I'd simmer all of that for flavor and then cool the stock overnight and degrease.
I get everything else chopped, put it all in the fridge. The next day, make the roux and put it all together. Put it in the fridge until the next day when you're serving.
I get everything else chopped, put it all in the fridge. The next day, make the roux and put it all together. Put it in the fridge until the next day when you're serving.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 1:10 pm to tlsu15
Just a thought. When I commit to do a gumbo for a large number of people, I don't wait until the night before to cook it in case I screw something up badly, the roux breaks, etc. If it comes out good, GREAT. If I cock it up, I can take another swing at it. After I get a batch I like, I bring it down to safe temps, it goes in the fridge for a day for it to get that "next day gumbo" flavor, then I transfer it into gallon ziplocs and pop it into the freezer. Then, on serving day, it only takes about an hour to drop it into a pot and reheat it. I start the gumbo reheating (making sure it doesn't burn and scorch before enough of the liquid melts to make sure it won't boil dry) and by the time I've had time to cook 2 or three batches of rice to make sure there's enough rice for everyone, the gumbo's ready to go. Another benefit to this is that you can make several batches if you need to because your pot's not big enough to do it in one go.
Your roux will be fine in the fridge if you'd like to make it ahead of time. Jarred roux just sits on the shelf in the store. It's oil and flour, it's not going to spoil. It may turn rancid if you keep it too long, though, but a few days in the fridge is nothing.
Your roux will be fine in the fridge if you'd like to make it ahead of time. Jarred roux just sits on the shelf in the store. It's oil and flour, it's not going to spoil. It may turn rancid if you keep it too long, though, but a few days in the fridge is nothing.
This post was edited on 12/16/18 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 12/16/18 at 4:09 pm to tlsu15
Gonna add a question to this post.
-Flying with food-
Im going to my in-laws out of state for the holiday, what is the best way to transport some gumbo I want to make beforehand?
secure it in an ice chest and check it? Ive never flown or shipped for, tbh. IT's a short trip, about 1:30hr
-Flying with food-
Im going to my in-laws out of state for the holiday, what is the best way to transport some gumbo I want to make beforehand?
secure it in an ice chest and check it? Ive never flown or shipped for, tbh. IT's a short trip, about 1:30hr
This post was edited on 12/16/18 at 4:10 pm
Posted on 12/16/18 at 4:14 pm to Lester Earl
quote:
Gonna add a question to this post. -Flying with food-
Call the airline and see what they recommend. I've sent food by air before, but that was a couple decades ago and I have to assume some things have changed.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 4:14 pm to Lester Earl
Posted on 12/16/18 at 4:17 pm to gumbo2176
Southwest.
but i'll check ahead
but i'll check ahead
Posted on 12/16/18 at 4:22 pm to Lester Earl
quote:
Im going to my in-laws out of state for the holiday, what is the best way to transport some gumbo I want to make beforehand? secure it in an ice chest and check it? Ive never flown or shipped for, tbh. IT's a short trip, about 1:30hr
Freeze it.
Either overnight it or check it in a Yeti-style cooler.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 8:52 pm to tlsu15
This boards obsession over gumbo is out of hand. It's one of the easiest things to make. Why don't you just bring some good sausage with you and use store bought stock. Can make the entire pot in an hour and a half and leave it to simmer.
Posted on 12/16/18 at 8:59 pm to Tigers0891
Do you live on the southern part of Louisiana ?
Posted on 12/16/18 at 9:09 pm to t00f
I live in Baton Rouge. Making stock is as basic as cooking gets. Making a roux is as well. There isn't a whole lot to it
Posted on 12/17/18 at 12:17 am to Tigers0891
How big a pot of gumbo do you make?
Posted on 12/17/18 at 8:13 am to Panny Crickets
quote:
Either overnight it or check it in a Yeti-style cooler.
I make the gumbo ahead, pack the gumbo in a Tupperware container, tape it closed and wrap it in sealed plastic, for extra security during shipping.. bubble wrap it and pack in dry ice and overnight it.
It's expensive but you don't have to deal with toting the gumbo through the airport and baggage claim, etc. It'll be waiting for you when you arrive, and will hopefully be refrigerated by the recipient.
Doing it ahead, allows you to relax and enjoy your time off, instead of cooking and washing pots your whole vacation.
This post was edited on 12/17/18 at 8:17 am
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