re: Give a Yankee some gumbo feedback (long post with pics)

quote:

---

What's in your top picture, mashed potatoes?

---

Potato salad

quote:

---

Jesus Christ, Darla. Those are some fine looking gumbos.

---

Indeed. That first one looks like a perfect gumbo to me, minus the potato salad

quote:

---

Simmered everything on low

---

You can bring it to a boil. I recommend it actually. Gumbo in below picture is rolling / boiling.

quote:

---

That's my next goal. I've never eaten okra and didn't want this to be my first time. By curse the tails, do you mean you leave them in or take them off? I googled it and there seemed to be a split decision. I eat the tails, but there were a few negative comments about the tails being left on.

---

If you really want to do it right, chop up your okra and smother it down with some chopped onions. It will take a few hours on low heat, and when it's done the okra will be completely broken down. It's more work but its much better than big chunks of undercooked okra in your gumbo.

And I'm assuming you already know okra only goes in a seafood gumbo.

Nice job though I have different personal preferences. I agree the Trinity is too large and not cooked nearly long enough. Your gumbo looks more like a dark soup to me (see Darla's pics and Zappa's). I recommend cooking it in the roux longer.

You went to the effort of making your own roux and homemade stock, but then diluted those flavors with tomatoes and rotel. I suggest you scrap those, make the gumbo, taste it the day after and if you still prefer the tomatoes, add them but maybe a little at a time.

Scrap the Tony's especially if cooking for people with bland palates. Put out some hot sauce for the bold folks. There is no requirement that gumbo be spicy hot to be good. I don't want too much heat overpowering the great flavor. I let folks dial up their own personal preference on the heat.

Shrimp have a delicate flavor that can be lost in a chicken and sausage gumbo. If using them, don't add them until just before serving to avoid overcooking from reheating them before serving.

All of the above being said, if you enjoyed it and if you were pleased, it is deemed a success.

You would have won with the cream of green chili soup I suggested.

quote:

---

If you really want to do it right, chop up your okra and smother it down with some chopped onions. It will take a few hours on low heat, and when it's done the okra will be completely broken down. It's more work but its much better than big chunks of undercooked okra in your gumbo.

And I'm assuming you already know okra only goes in a seafood gumbo.

---

I was with you...sort of...until the last part.

To OP, as most have said, tomatoes don't go in many gumbos here. No shrimp in chicken and sausage, and when you put shrimp, for the love of God, take the tails off. A little darker and thicker would be my taste as well.

My personal preference is to use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs in my gumbo. Not a big fan of the tendons in the chicken leg. I also make my roux (or use jar roux when I'm lazy) and set it aside. I brown my meats similar to making a jambalaya and then brown my vegetables including okra in the fat left over until they are dark and tender. Then I add back my roux and stock and boil/cook it down for an hour or more to mellow the starchiness of the roux. Add my meat back, and cook another hour or so until just before the thighs start falling apart. I'd eat the shite out of yours though.

quote:

---

two cans of diced tomatoes (I know tomatoes aren't traditional, but I like them-sue me). Also threw in a can of Rotel.

---

quote:

---

Just personal preference, but I want to taste chicken in my C&S gumbo. Don't cut it up so small, even if it means using more chicken in the pot.

---

Thanks for the tips, but I thought I cut my chicken into pretty big pieces?