Let me first state that I’m a gumbo anarchist. For example, my favorite type of gumbo is turkey and fresh chicken sausage, and I don’t use filé powder. As long as it has a non-white roux base, includes vegetables and meat (or a vegetarian analogue), and is thickened with either okra or filé powder, it’s gumbo. Louisiana has as many variations on the recipe as it has citizens, and gumbo’s origins as a ‘sort of a stew, sort of a soup, made with whatever we’ve got’ dish are what I look to for guidance when I decide how I want to make my latest pot.

If you want to use filé powder, add a small amount to a served bowl of gumbo. Do NOT add it while cooking, or to the entire pot of gumbo after it’s finished unless it will be eaten all at once. Otherwise, you will end up with a stringy, goopy mess. Keep in mind that it thickens the gumbo considerably, which is also accomplished by adding okra.

It’s possible to make this recipe in a crock pot, but you have to really be careful about how much water you add, and it won’t have as much depth of flavor.

I use Kary’s Dry Roux because it has a fine taste, keeps well, isn’t too expensive and is effortless compared to making a roux from scratch. A fresh-made roux will taste better, but it’s a matter of effort versus reward. I’d recommend making a fresh-roux gumbo at least once, perhaps for the holidays. I’ll include a recipe for a dark gumbo roux at the bottom of this page.

• 3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken (Thighs/Leg Quarters ideally)
• 1 lb cajun andouille sausage
• 2 tsp Salt/MSG
• 0.5 cup flour (of any type)
• 2 onions
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 stalk celery (this and the two above vegetables are known as the ‘holy trinity’)
• 3 cups okra (frozen is fine)
• 1 bushel green onions
• 0.5 jar Kary’s Dry Dark Roux (Powdered)
• X cups of water
• X packets chicken bouillon
• 2 tbsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2.5 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to spice preference)
• Cooked rice (traditionally white medium-grain rice, but any type will suffice)

Replace X with however much water you need to fill the pot you’re cooking the gumbo in up without overflowing.

1. Set burner to medium heat.
2. Dice vegetables loosely.
3. Coat chicken thighs in flour and brown in roasting pot. Once browned, remove from pot and set aside.
4. Add vegetables and spices to roasting pot, then cook vegetables until the onions are starting to become translucent .
5. Add roux mix to pot, then add desired amount of water and chicken boullion.
6. Mix pot well to ensure clumps of powder are dissolved.
7. Add chicken to roasting pot.
8. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for approximately 60-90 minutes. Gumbo is likely to be fully cooked at 60 minutes, but additional time increases flavor and tenderness of meat.
9. Remove roasting pot from heat and serve over cooked rice.

Dark Gumbo Roux Recipe

The difference between a light and dark roux is time. The roux will start as a very pale yellow (or white if you opt for oil instead of butter), and will darken as you cook it. The color range for traditional gumbo is between oak and mahogany. This doesn’t mean you should never experiment with lighter or darker roux, however it is possible to overcook, and as a result burn the roux. You’ll know if you’re cooking the roux properly if it starts to have a ‘nutty’ aroma.

In addition, it’s traditional to use a large wooden spoon as the stirring implement (for both roux and gumbo.) It follows a similar logic as using cast iron cooking pots/pans, particularly if the spoon used is only/primarily used for preparing gumbo.

• 0.6 cup butter
• 0.6 cup + 1 tbsp flour (of any type)

1. Set burner to low heat.
2. Melt butter in roasting pan.
3. Slowly add flour to roasting pan, stirring while adding.
4. Continue stirring at a slow but constant rate, ensuring to break up flour pockets whenever spotted.
5. Cook for roughly 40 minutes, or until desired roux color is achieved.