This gumbo is a combination of my mother’s and aunt’s recipes they have both prepared for many, many years. My grandparents lived in Biloxi, Mississippi and our family spent a great deal of time in New Orleans.
Gumbo is a staple for my family but our tradition is to serve it on Christmas eve along with fried shrimp. I like to serve it the minute it the temperature gets cooler because it reminds me of HOME.
Many people have their own version of gumbo, however I personally don’t believe you can leave out the okra (my mom disagrees). I like to add diced tomatoes because it reminds me of New Orleans (my mom and aunt would say no way on the tomatoes).
The trick to preparing “authentic” New Orleans style gumbo is the roux and file powder. Without either don’t bother calling it gumbo if you skip this step. It’s just soup.
Ingredients:
- 4 Chicken Breasts (shredded and cooked)
- Homemade Chicken Broth
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 bag frozen cut okra
- 1 large onion
- 8 oz Kielbasa Polish Sausage (chopped in small cubes)
- 1 package Ham Steak (chopped in small cubes, remove bone)
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 tbsp Gumbo File Powder, 1 lb. – Bulk
- Old Bay Seasoning
(to taste)
- White Rice
- French Bread
Prepare chicken and homemade broth. While broth is cooking, sauté onion with butter in larger Dutch oven (aka gumbo pot).
While onions are sautéing, fry sausage and ham in cast iron skillet. Once ham and sausage are cooked (I like mine to be golden brown), add to gumbo pot. Turn off burner but leave skillet on stove to make roux.
Once chicken has cooked, take out of oven, remove chicken and drain broth into gumbo pot using a strainer. Reserve 1 cup of broth to the side. Add salt, fresh bay leaves, diced tomatoes and entire bag of okra to gumbo pot.
Shred chicken breast, add to gumbo pot.
Brown flour in skillet. DO NOT BURN!! If you do not have enough grease, add 1 tbsp of butter first, then flour. Pour in reserved broth, stir until smooth. Keep adding liquid until roux is a smooth consistency. Not too thin but not too think.
Add 2 tbsp of file powder to roux mixture. Add roux to gumbo pot. Simmer 2-3 hours or longer.
After 1 hour, add remaining 2 tbsp of file powder and Old Bay seasoning to taste (do not go overboard ).
Serve over rice with warm French bread. Bon Appétit!
