Chicken And Smoked Sausage Gumbo
Chicken And Smoked Sausage Gumbo
This classic gumbo features a spicy broth with chicken, sausage and okra. Cook the roux longer for a darker color and deeper flavor.This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Chef Emeril Lagasse and was originally published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
4.48
hours
Servings
8
servings
Total time: 4.98 hours
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) chicken, rinsed and dried, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, unpeeled, quartered
- 1 rib celery, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 quarts water, chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 onions, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage, such as andouille, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into half moons
- 1 pound fresh or thawed frozen okra, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- salt, to taste
- cooked white rice, for serving
- louisiana hot sauce, for serving
- file powder, for serving (optional)
Directions
- In a large soup pot or small stockpot, place 1 (4 pound) chicken and add 1 quartered onion, 1 rib of celery, 2 smashed cloves of garlic, 2 bay leaves and 2 quarts of liquid (water, chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth) to cover the chicken by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until chicken is fall-from-the-bone tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Add water if necessary to keep chicken submerged in liquid.)
- Remove chicken to a heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
- When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones; discard. Pull meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl; refrigerate until needed.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat 1 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat; whisk in 1 cup flour. Cook, stirring constantly, reaching every portion of the bottom of the pot, until roux begins to take on some color. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and continue cooking and stirring constantly until roux reaches the color of milk chocolate. (The timing here will vary depending on your cooktop as well as the pan you are using; the most important thing is to not let any portion of the roux scorch, and to stir constantly until you've reached the desired color.) See notes for more tips on how to make roux.
- Add 3 chopped onions, 2 chopped ribs of celery, 1/2 chopped bell pepper and 2 tablespoons minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
- If stock has cooled by this time, add it to the roux-vegetable mixture along with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 2 bay leaves, and stir to combine. (If stock has not cooled by the time vegetables have softened, set aside to cool; you should always add a hot stock to a cool roux or vice versa.)
- Once roux and stock are combined, bring to a gentle simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 2 hours, skimming any foam or excess oil that comes to the surface.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute 1 1/2 pounds sliced smoked sausage until browned on all sides. Add the sausage and 1 pound sliced okra to the simmering gumbo. Taste gumbo and season lightly with salt. Simmer for 2 hours.
- Add the cooked chicken, 1 bunch of chopped scallions, and 1/3 cup chopped parsley to the gumbo. Stir well and continue to simmer for 30 minutes longer. Adjust thickness if necessary, then season with salt and cayenne, to taste.
- Serve gumbo ladled over hot white rice in large shallow bowls, with hot sauce and file powder at the table for guests to use to their liking.