Gumbo (First, Make a Roux - in the Oven)

A classic Cajun seafood gumbo except that the roux is baked in the oven to a rich mahogany color instead of by stirring-stirring-stirring over a hot stove. Another win from the geniuses at Cook's Illustrated! Let the oven do the stirring! Even the Gumbo King is impressed!

Whole Food, Fresh & Festive. A Mardi Gras Classic But In Our Family, a Signature Dish at Christmas. Restaurant Quality Gumbo, Made from Scratch. Weekend Special, Great for Meal Prep. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb. High Protein.

~ PIN This ~

~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~

COMPLIMENTS!

• "... very good! ... Turned out great." ~ Julie
• "... this will be the 6th year in a row that I'll be making this gumbo ..." ~ Jake

BEST RECIPES!

• Gumbo Made the List!
• Best Recipes of 2012

---

Cooking Roux in the Oven: A Foolhardy Shortcut?

Every good gumbo – and according to some, every good Cajun dish – starts off with a roux, a silky fat and flour mixture cooked to colors ranging from Mardi-Gras gold to black-as-voodoo.

Instead, this gumbo recipe uses Cook's Illustrated's almost-no-stirring technique where the roux [pronounced ROO, rhymes with BLUE] is baked in the oven to a rich mahogany color.

My Gumbo King thought the oven shortcut foolhardy and unnecessary but came away impressed by the results. "Seriously terrific gumbo," he called it, then paid the ultimate compliment, "Justin Wilson would be proud."

A Traditional Roux: Stirring and Patience

If you asked the storied Cajun humorist Justin Wilson "What's for dinner?" he'd answer, "Whaddaya got?" Except that's not quite right – in fact, he would probably say, "First, make a roux. NOW whaddaya got?"

A roux isn't hard to make. In fact, home cooks make a quick roux called a white sauce every time we briefly cook butter and flour as a thickener for soup, cheese sauce, etc. All it takes is fat, flour, heat and patience.

Patience comes into play because a good roux, a pitch-dark roux, takes time. Find yourself a stool and a spoon and just stir and stir and stir and then stir some more, never letting up, never letting the mixture separate or burn, letting the color and flavor develop.

A traditional roux takes an hour, some times longer.

Here, Let the Oven Do the Stirring

As they are wont to do, Cook's Illustrated turned that traditional formula upside down, putting the roux-maker out to pasture by letting the oven do the stirring.

Praise be, the technique works like a charm.

Plus a Surprise Ingredient

Cook's Illustrated also uses an unusual ingredient that boosts the seafood dimension of the gumbo. It's fish sauce, the salty liquid so common in Thai and other Asian cuisines. I had no trouble finding a bottle on the Asian shelf in my everyday supermarket. (UPDATE Trader Joe's carries the popular Red Boat brand of fish sauce.) In the pantry, not the fridge, it keeps for a long time.

Fish sauce has a distinct flavor, I use it occasionally in recipes here, see recipes calling for fish sauce.

But if you can't find a bottle, then I'd suggest shelling the shrimp while the roux cooks. Then make a simple fish stock by cooking the shells with 5 cups of water, an onion, a carrot, a rib of celery, simmering for an hour to cook down to about 4 cups. Use this shrimp stock instead of chicken stock.

Shortcut Gumbo?

I started to call this recipe "Shortcut Gumbo" because honestly, I took shortcuts at every turn, using garlic from a jar, bouillon cubes instead of homemade chicken stock. But two hours of hands-on time is hardly an every-day cooking session.

Even so, gumbo is no high art. It's Cajun peasant food, completely forgiving, so long as it starts with a good roux.

What Is Gumbo Filé?

Filé adds authentic flavor to gumbo, many consider it an essential ingredient. It's no more than the finely ground dried leaves from a sassafras tree so doesn't look like much, just greenish-gray powder.

Odds are good you can find filé powder in the spice section of a well-stocked grocery store. Otherwise, yep, gumbo filé (affiliate link) is sold online.

More Inspiration

• Books and cookbooks by Justin Wilson
• Magazine, cookbooks and collections from the folks at Cook's Illustrated
• My Disclosure Promise

Make Gumbo, Make the Party

Gumbo makes great party food! In these parts, it's tradition to serve gumbo on Christmas Eve afternoon.

Then last year, we made a big pot of gumbo for a Mardi Gras party complete with a crawfish boil in the back yard, the kitchen table spread with newspapers for easy clean-up of the shells.

I made a second pot of Vegan Chickpea Gumbo for our vegetarian and vegan friends plus a big pot of moist white rice and for contrast, a pot of grits, either Microwave Green Chili Cheese Grits or Slow Cooker Sweet Potato (or Pumpkin or Butternut Squash) Grits.

We finished with on-the-spot bananas Foster and passed plates of Bourbon Pralines.

Looking for more ideas for a Mardi Gras gathering? Check the Mardi Gras recipes or better yet, our actual menu for a small Mardi Gras dinner for eight friends, it's here in my weekly newsletter, that week featuring The Best of N'awlins!

Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!

Let the good times roll!

Bookmark! PIN! Share!

How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If this gumbo recipe inspires you, please do save and share! I'd be honored ...

~ PIN This ~

---

GUMBO

Hands-on time: 2 hours
Time to table: as little as 4 hours or as much as the next day
Makes 16 cups

FIRST, MAKE A ROUX
• 3/4 cup (95g) flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

START THE GUMBO
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 large poblano pepper, chopped fine
• 1 large green pepper, chopped fine
• 1 rib celery, chopped fine
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see TIPS)
• 15 ounces canned diced tomato
• 4 cups chicken broth, room temperature
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 pounds (900g) chicken, preferably boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into small pieces and seasoned with black pepper

JUST BEFORE SERVING
• 16 ounces (450g) frozen okra, thawed to room temperature
• 2 pounds (900g) fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved
• 8 ounces (225g) andouille sausage, chopped small
• Salt & pepper to taste

FOR SERVING
• Cooked rice, How to Cook White Rice is great
• Filé powder, also called gumbo filé (don't skip this)

FIRST, MAKE A ROUX Place an oven rack in the lowest position, heat the oven to 350F/180C.

Start on the stove. In a large heavy Dutch oven that's large enough for the whole pot, toast the 3/4 cup flour on medium heat, stirring continuously. It will take some time for the flour to begin to cook, watch for a little smoke rising, then observe the texture change and the color to almost imperceptibly begin to darken. It takes about 10 minutes for the toast the flour to a pretty caramel color, stirring continuously (that is, without interruption), keeping a close eye, choosing the color you're after, the lighter the toasting, the blonder the roux; the darker the toasting, the darker the roux.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the oil, a bit at a time. If little chunks of "fried flour" form, try to break them up, if not, at the end, fish them out.

Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. Bake the roux's flour-oil mixture for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir well, don't be alarmed by what appear to be dark chunks, these are easy to stir out. You've made a roux! And isn't it pretty?! That lovely supple caramel color is intoxicating, in the lingo of roux, I would characterize its color as between a brown roux and a dark brown roux.

According to Cook's Illustrated, a roux can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week. If so, bring the roux back to a boil before continuing.

START THE GUMBO Over medium heat on the stovetop, stir the onion, poblano pepper and green pepper into the hot roux. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, 1 tablespoon flour and cayenne, cook for about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes, cook until the liquid is absorbed into the gumbo, about 1 minute.

A splashful at a time at first, stir in the chicken broth and fish sauce, letting the liquid become fully absorbed by the gumbo before adding more. Take your time here, it will pay off in texture.

Stir in the seasoned chicken and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

IF ADDING SOME OKRA, SHRIMP & ANDOUILLE EARLY (see TIPS) Stir in about 1/4 the okra, shrimp and andouille, then return to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and let simmer for another 30 minutes.

IF MAKING AHEAD Stop here, let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Before serving, return to a simmer.

JUST BEFORE SERVING Stir in the andouille and let heat through. Stir in the okra and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasonings.

TO SERVE Place a spoonful or two of cooked rice in a bowl, top with gumbo and sprinkle with filé powder.

ALANNA's TIPS This recipe makes a huge pot of gumbo, great for a Mardi Gras party but perhaps a lot for a family. I don't recommend halving the roux itself, however, just make the full amount and save half for another dish or discard. While the roux bakes, do yourself a favor and prep the remainder of the ingredients, it'll help things move along once the roux is done. If your andouille sausage is spicy, consider using less cayenne pepper. I do NOT recommend a supermarket variety of andouille from Johnsonville Sausage which is no more than a bad hot dog, no andouille spices at all. The thing about gumbo, it's just better if it gets a chance to rest for at least a couple of hours before serving, either on the stove a-simmerin' away or in the fridge overnight. But the other thing is, you really want to add the shrimp and okra just before serving, keeping both fresh-cooked. My compromise is to add about a fourth of the shrimp and okra (and the andouille, for good measure) early, then, just before serving, to add the rest. Gumbo is served with rice. Unless you're making the gumbo ahead of time, make Oven-Baked Brown Rice (another recipe from Cook's Illustrated!) as soon as the roux is done baking, while the oven's still hot. Another option (and frankly, our favorite) is white rice, here's How to Cook White Rice.

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2012/02/gumbo.html .

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 279 Calories; 11g Tot Fat; 3g Sat Fat; 127mg Cholesterol; 685mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 2g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 29g Protein WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 6 & PointsPlus 7 & SmartPoints 7 & Freestyle 5 & myWW green 6 & blue 5 & purple 5 & future WW points

Adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2012 (affiliate link) My Disclosure Promise

---

Seasonal Cooking: Mid February Across the Years

Homemade Lentil Soup Smashed Potatoes & Broccoli Casserole Trio of Vegetables with Sour Cream On-the-Run Breakfast Bars Black Walnut Bread One-Pot Chicken with Beans & Vegetables Julia Child's Soubise (Onion & Rice Casserole) (<< personal favorite) Chimichurri Gumbo Hamburger Casserole Raspberry & Red Wine Granita Chocolate Shortbread Cookies How to Cook White Rice Orange & Avocado Salad

This Week, Elsewhere

~ Jambalaya ~
from Quintessential in St. Charles
~ more St. Louis Restaurant Recipes ~
My Weekly Column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

---

More Favorite Shrimp Recipes

more
~ shrimp recipes ~

• THE RECIPE Easy Shrimp Bites Four pantry ingredients, a snap to assemble.
• ANOTHER TAKE Bacon-Wrapped Dried Apricots Quick to fix, surprisingly low in calories.

• THE RECIPE Quick 'n' Easy Shrimp Bisque Part shrimp chowder, part traditional bisque.
• ANOTHER TAKE Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto) Finland's famous fish and potato chowder.

• THE RECIPE Lazy Man's Ciopinno A simple but celebration-worthy stew.
• ANOTHER TAKE Oyster Stew Fresh oysters in a milky broth.

---

More Genius Recipes Inspired by Cook's Illustrated & America's Test Kitchen

~ Frozen Steaks ~
~ Homemade Fresh Basil Pesto Without Cheese ~
~ How to Poach a Perfect Egg ~
~ Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus or Other Summer Vegetables ~
from Kitchen Parade

~ Carrot Cake Cupcakes ~
~ Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce ~
~ Cook’s Illustrated Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice ~
~ Fresh Three-Bean Salad ~
~ Mighty Perfect Cabbage & Broccoli Coleslaw ~
~ Perfect Pan-Fried Broccoli ~
~ Three Secrets for Rich & Creamy Mashed Potatoes ~
~ "Wonderful" Glazed Turnips & Carrots ~
~ World's Best Green Bean Casserole ~
~ Butternut Squash Soup that Actually Tastes Like Butternut Squash ~
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables

---

Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ poblano pepper recipes ~
~ chicken recipes ~
~ okra recipes ~
~ shrimp recipes ~
~ sausage recipes ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

---

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

---

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2012, 2019, 2020 (repub), 2023 & 2024²