Reheating Gumbo Question

quote:

---

Reheat a portion in a smaller pot?

---

This or take out what you think might eat later and put it in a smaller container. This isnt exactly rocket surgery.

There’s absolutely NO reason not to reheat more than once. Your texture may suffer a little but that’s all.

Your chicken will end up stringy, but that’s no big deal.

You can reheat something as many times as you want as long as you bring it to a boil and don’t let it sit warm for hours at a time.

The most important factor is cooling. Make sure your gumbo is cooled throughout before storing overnight in the fridge. You’ll need to move it to a few shallow dishes to let it cool prior to refrigerating.

quote:

---

I fill my sink with ice water and set the pot in i

---

I typically do this as well. Although on a day like today, I would put the pot on the table outside after it has cooled a bit on the stove.

quote:

---

There’s absolutely NO reason not to reheat more than once. Your texture may suffer a little but that’s all.

---

This. For years I have made Seafood Gumbo Christmas Eve and transported to Austin Christmas Day and reheated it. Then we eat leftovers the next couple of days. The shrimp get a little chewy but that it.

quote:

---

I would put the pot on the table outside after it has cooled a bit on the stove.

---

My grandmother and mother would do this.
I’ve never been brave enough to try.
My BIL also would do this. Only once that I know of, he had a seafood gumbo sour on him.
He hadn’t cooled it down enough before setting out.

quote:

---

Only once that I know of, he had a seafood gumbo sour on him.
He hadn’t cooked it down enough before setting out.

---

More thank likely it soured because it was hot in the middle of the pot for too long. Just because you put a hot pot in a fridge or outside, doesn't mean the inside of the pot will cool off in time. A few shallow dishes is the way to cool gumbo. You will never have an entire pot of gumbo cool off in a safe amount of time outside or in a refrigerator.


I cooked 4 gallons of gumbo last night. Turned the heat off at 6 pm. At 8 pm I poured it in boil-in bags and sealed them (using a bag sealer I have), then placed them in an ice chest of ice water. The gumbo was cold in 30 minutes.

And remember, just because grandma left the pot on the stove out all night and you never got sick doesn't mean it's safe. (1) Bacteria may or may not grow with each pot you cook. (2) Bacteria may not affect you at all one time, or it may cause small symptoms that you don't even realize, or it may cause harmful symptoms.