This recipe breakdown originally appeared in The Mouthful, our weekly food newsletter for the curious home cook.
Gumbo is the perfect dish to learn Louisiana Creole techniques — it utilizes a dark roux for color and texture, and the flavors are built upon the “ Cajun Holy Trinity,” the aromatic combo of equal parts onion, celery, and bell pepper.
Keith McBrayer
Ingredients
Roux
- flour45 g1 part
- cooking oil45 g1 part
Aromatics
- celery, diced4-5 stalks
- garlic2-3 cloves
- bell peppers, diced2
- bay leaves2
- onions1
- thyme1 sprig
- saltto taste
- black pepperto taste
- cayenne peppera spoonful
Meat & cooking liquid
- chicken thighs, boneless, skinless454 g~1 lb
- andouille sausages454 g~1 lb
- chicken broth1200 genough to submerge
For serving
- white rice, cooked
- scallions, thinly sliced
- hot sauce
Method
Step 1: Sear the meat
Set a wide pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add a large drizzle of oil to the skillet. the chicken and sausage coins in batches until some occurs on the surface of each piece.
- Use cooking oil as needed. The chicken doesn’t have to be cooked through, just seared on the outside.
Set aside all seared chicken and sausage.
Step 2: Make the roux & sauté the aromatics
Add the oil and flour to the pot over medium-high heat. Whisk the oil and flour constantly, stirring it until the mixture has reached at least a chocolate shade, around 10-15 minutes.
Add the onion, bell peppers, and celery and mix into the roux. Continue on high heat for 7-10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Add in the garlic, spices, a sprinkle of salt, lots of black pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir until fragrant.
Step 3: Simmer for 1-2 hours
Slowly add in the chicken broth, mixing to break up any lumps of roux. Add the chicken and sausage back in. The broth should cover everything by an inch or so (add more water or broth if necessary).
Bring to a , partially cover, and let cook for 1-2 hours. The chicken should be falling apart and the broth should be slightly thickened with no residual flour taste.
Season to taste with salt and a dash of hot sauce for acidity.
Step 4: Garnish & serve
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the pot.
Ladle hot gumbo into bowls, then add a scoop of cooked white rice over top. Garnish with scallions, hot sauce, and more black pepper.
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