Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

The secret to good gumbo is the roux, the secret to great gumbo is homemade stock. Neither of these take much extra time, but are essential to this great recipe! With the "big game" coming up, I wanted something that would be inexpensive to feed a big crowd. This pot of gumbo will cost less than $30 and can make at least 10 bowls! Leave out the shrimp and you've got a great meal for under $20! It will take some time, this is not a whip-it-in minutes sort of recipe. But I promise it is Oh So Worth It!

Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

The first step is to start with your stock. Homemade stock is so cheap and easy! And it adds much more flavor than the canned store-bought stock. Since you have to cook the chicken anyway, why not make the stock at the same time? I used 4 chicken thighs, but any cut of chicken would be fine (about a 1lb). Place it in a small pot with celery, onion, a few carrots (I didn't have any this time) and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic. Season with salt, pepper and a few dashes of poultry seasoning. If you don't have poultry seasoning, use a dash of thyme and sage. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover.

chicken stock

If you have decided to splurge on shrimp, go for the 34-40 ct and buy the ones with the shells on. (I like the ones that have been deveined). Thaw them under luke warm water (only takes a minute of rinsing) and shell them. Place the shrimp back in the fridge and put your shells & tails in a small pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover.



shrimp stock



Now that your stocks are working, you need to chop up the "trinity". The trinity is essential to cajun cooking and includes onion, bell pepper and celery. I use about 2-3 yellow onions (I used some red this time because I had that's what I had on hand), 5-6 stalks of celery and 3 bell peppers. There is no wrong amount to use, but make sure there is about equal amounts of the three.



The Cajun Trinity



Time for the sausage! Use a good cajun sausage for a spicier flavor, but any keilbasa-type will work. Cut the sausages in half, and then slice into 1/4" pieces. Sautee over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Remove to a paper towel, leaving the fat in the skillet.

The next step is the roux. This will take about 20 minutes to make a dark roux and will require constant attention. Make sure your kids are preoccupied because you cannot walk away while you are cooking roux! In the pan that you sauteed the sausage, add 3/4 cup of vegetable oil and 1 and 1/4 cup of flour.

*Quick tip: I am a one-pot queen! When I first started making gumbo, I tried making the roux in my heavy-bottom pot that the gumbo would be in also. I found that the roux kept sticking and was much too difficult to keep from burning. When I started using the nonstick skillet, I could cook the roux at a higher temp and it wouldn't stick. You also need to use a wooden spatula. The roux cooks to a high temperature, and will melt a plastic spoon (trust me!), and of course, a metal spoon will scratch your pan. A silicon spatula will work fine too.



Over medium heat, cook the flour and oil. The flour will slowly begin to brown. You should be constantly stirring the roux in order for it to cook evenly. It should be darkening all at the same time. If you find that you can't stir it fast enough, and parts of it are browning faster than others, then turn the heat down. On the other hand, if you feel like you're standing there stirring and nothing is happening, nudge the heat up a bit. When you first try it, you'll want to cook it at a lower heat and let it take its time. Don't be surprised if it takes 30 minutes to darken.

Also, if it is cooking too fast, I will lift the pan away from the heat and get it stirred before putting it back on the stove. You will want to flour to darken, they say until it looks like coffee. I haven't figured out what "they" mean by coffee, because black coffee is too dark and if "they" are talking about coffee with cream then who knows!! I would say that it needs to be darker than peanut butter. This is where your gumbo gets its distinct flavor!

Once your roux gets the right color, turn off the heat and add your trinity. The hot roux will begin to cook the veggies. Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and add to the trinity.

Notice the roux continued to darken even after I added it to the veg 

I'm not one of those people that thinks you have to have every kitchen gadget in order to be a great cook. However, there are a few things that are essential. One of those is a fat separator.

You pour the broth into the skimmer, with the rubber stopper in the spout. Let the fat rise to the top, and pour out the broth. The spout pours from the bottom, leaving the fat in the cup. If you don't have one of these, STOP and get one.

  

Using your new fat separator, strain both broths into the trinity and stir until it is completely incorporated.

Now add your seasoning. I do not measure, so everything I give is an estimate. Taste it and adjust as necessary. Add 1 or 2 bay leaves, 1 t. thyme, 1 t. onion powder, 1 t. garlic powder, and 1 to 2 t. of cajun seasoning and a couple dashes of worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Mix in the sausages and bring the mixture to a simmer. If it looks too thick, add water.

While that is simmering, debone the chicken. Put your loaf of french bread in a preheated oven to get warm and crispy (don't forget it!) Also, start a pot of rice. I usually make enough for 6 servings. Add a little salt and garlic to the water to give the rice a little flavor boost. After the rice is started, add the shrimp to your simmering gumbo. Once the shrimp is pink, add the chicken. Now its time to add 1-2 t. of gumbo file. Taste and add salt, pepper and cajun seasoning if needed. *Cajun seasoning is usually very salty. So, I suggested adding it before you add more salt.

Slice up your crusty bread and you are ready to enjoy homemade gumbo!