I have been using this ultimate cajun gumbo recipe for over 15 years now. It has never failed to impress. I have used this recipe in my restaurant and at my own home with great results every time. Are you ready to get “Cajun”? Good, let’s do this.
First, I will lay out all of the ingredients that you will need to prepare this dish. I make a habit of listing the ingredients in similar groups (meats, veggies, spices, liquids, etc…) so that it makes shopping and organizing a little easier. Second, I will outline all of the steps that you will need to take to prepare this ultimate gumbo. Ready…here we go.
Ingredients
1 lb cooked andouille sausage (sliced into 1 inch slices)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb raw, medium shrimp (deveined, tails off and cut in half down the back)
2 cups chopped white onions
1/2 cup chopped red pepper (about 1 medium red pepper)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (about 1 medium green pepper)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 lb (8oz) frozen okra (in the bag)
7 cups cooked, white rice (recipe below)
1 tablespoon creole seasoning (store bought)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed, dried red pepper flakes
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tablespoon “file powder” (store bought)
3 bay leaves (pull out before serving)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 tablespoon oil (any kind will do)
5 cups chicken stock (or broth)
5 cups tomato juice
1 cup Franks Red Hot sauce
1 tablespoon red tabasco sauce
Steps
1. Add 1 tablespoon oil to large pot and heat. Add andouille sausage and brown for 6-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate.
2. Season chicken breasts with creole seasoning and add to pot with remaining sausage fat. Cook on both sides until browned for 8-10 minutes.
Remove chicken breasts from pot, cool on counter and move to refrigerator until later in the recipe.
3. Add 1/2 cup butter to pot (with fat still in it) and melt. Add 1 cup of flour and stir constantly with a wire whisk for 20-25 minutes (don’t walk away, continue to stir) until mixture becomes a dark, dark red color. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Add chopped onions, celery, red peppers and green peppers and place back on low heat until veggies soften, about 4 minutes.
5. Add browned andouille sausage, salt, cayenne powder and bay leaves.
6. Slowly whisk in chicken stock and tomato juice. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour (uncovered), stirring occasionally.
7. Remove cooked chicken breasts from the refrigerator and dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the diced chicken the pot and cook for 1 1/2 hours (uncovered).
8. Remove bay leaves with a slotted spoon and toss into the trash. Add raw, split shrimp, green onions, parsley, file powder and okra. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
2 cups white rice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Combine all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice sit, covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
You can add the cooked rice right into the gumbo and serve or spoon the rice into the bottom of a bowl and pour the gumbo over the top of the rice. You can choose, but I prefer to serve it over the rice ( it adds extra texture to the dish).
I hope you enjoy this recipe and impress all of your friends and family. It is my ultimate cajun gumbo and I hope it becomes the same for you. Happy cooking.
