How to Make a Authentic Cajun Gumbo Plus 5 Tips

Cajun Hostel Gumbo

An Authentic Home Made Recipe

The name gumbo originates from a West African word for okra, suggesting that gumbo was originally made with this vegetable. Although okra in gumbo does appear in south Louisiana from time to time, the following recipe is for the most popular style (or my favorite, at least): chicken-n-sausage gumbo.

I have been eating all types of gumbo for as long as I can remember. My father is a gumbo master. Although he and I cook this holy meal a bit differently, I learned from one of the best.

I never realized how much it was a part of my identity until I was affectionately labeled ‘the Gumbo Snob” at a travel blogger’s conference a few months ago.

Without further ado — drum roll please — here is my recipe for the soon to be world famous Cajun Hostel Gumbo.

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 1 to 2 hours (or longer)

Feeds: A bunch of people

Ingredients:

For those of you out-of-towners who might not be able to find things like roux or the proper sausage (which are the two most important ingredients when it comes to getting the flavor right), I have included hyperlinks to retailers that sell these products. Just click on the ingredient and have it delivered to you door. Also, if you want to did a little deeper check out this great blog post which is specifically about gumbo, sausage, and roux.

Note: You can definitely make your own roux and stock — and many will argue that you MUST do these things — but I’m trying to keep it simple. I will cook two gumbos for you, one with jar roux and the other with home made roux. Taste both and tell me which one is which! And the dirty little secret is a lot of folks in South Louisiana use pre-made roux and stock anyway.

Approximately 8 quarts of water

2 – 32 oz. cartons of chicken bone broth, chicken broth, or chicken stock

1 – jar Savoie’s Old Fashioned Roux Dark 32 oz

3 – large yellow onions – finely chopped

2 – large green bell peppers – finely chopped

2 – cloves of garlic – finely chopped

4 – packages of 16 oz smoked sausage (chopped and preferably andouille)

4 – lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (chopped)

2 – packages of smoked turkey necks (optional but definitely a game changer)

1 – dozen boiled eggs (optional but old school)

5 – cups cooked WHITE rice

Slap ya Mama Cajun Seasoning (my current favorite), Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Seasoning, or almost any other brand – to taste. If for some reason you can’t find these, a mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne will get you close.

The “Process”

Heat water and stock/broth until boiling. Add roux and cook until the roux has completely dissolved. VERY IMPORTANT: Stir frequently so that the roux doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot OR add a little roux at a time. Add turkey necks. Add chopped vegetables and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. While this is cooking, brown the chicken and sausage in a large lightly oiled pan. Generously coat the chicken and sausage with the cajun/creole seasoning during the browning process.

Remove turkey necks and let cool. Add chicken and sausage to the pot with all of the drippings! Remove meat from turkey neck bones and add back to the pot. Cook an additional two hours, the longer the better. Skim any fat or oil that rises to the surface. Serve over cooked WHITE rice.

Pro Tip: Leave the eggs out overnight at room temperature. This will make them very easy to peel. Boil for ten minutes, chill, peel, and add to your pot of madness the end.

Notes:

1. 1. Where I’m from, under absolutely NO circumstances do you put tomatoes in your gumbo! Period! End of story!
   2. The above recipe is a basic and classic chicken-n-sausage gumbo. DO NOT mix chicken and sausage with seafood (shrimp, crab, oysters, crawfish) if you know what’s good for you.
   3. How to thicken your gumbo. Some Cajuns nearly fist fight over how thick a gumbo should be. There are a three easy and popular ways to control this. a) use more roux b) let the gumbo cook longer c) add something called gumbo file’ which you can purchase here. Gumbo file’ can be added while cooking or to your individual bowl after being served. I personally don’t use file’ but definitely adhere to a) and b). I like my gumbo just thicker than soup but not as thick as a stew. You definitely shouldn’t be able to eat it with a fork.
   4. You may read about starting most Cajun dishes with the traditional Cajun Holy Trinity which is onions, bell peppers, and celery. Many Cajuns, at least the ones I know, prefer to replace the celery with garlic. I approve.
   5. Color – Your gumbo should end up a rich, brown color. Brown like the bayou as some would say.

Bon Appetit!

If you are traveling to south Louisiana and looking for other tips on things to do in Cajun Country click here!