Authentic Cajun Turkey Gumbo Food

AUTHENTIC CAJUN TURKEY GUMBO

Steps:

• Crack the turkey carcass into several pieces.
• Place the turkey carcass and legs into a large soup kettle with 3 qts of water and 1 tsp salt.
• Boil for one hour.
• Remove the carcass and legs and cool.
• Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones.
• Reserve the stock and the meat.
• In a heavy Dutch pven over medium heat, heat the grease and the oil.
• Add the flour, stirring constantly, and cook until it turns a deep, mahogany brown.
• Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the okra and sausage and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
• Add 2 qts of water, 2 qts turkey stock Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, tomatoes, salt, bacon, bay leaves, and cayenne.
• Simmer, covered, for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Add the turkey meat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, add the brown sugar and lemon juice.

AUTHENTIC GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large heavy Dutch oven, combine the oil & flour over medium heat stirring constantly for about 25-30 minutes, to make a dark brown roux. This step didn't take me that long but for Gumbo it should ideally be a dark reddish brown, be very careful not to burn.
• Add the onion, bellpepper & celery and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until veggies are soft.
• Add the water/chicken stock & blend into the roux mixture.
• Add the bay leaves & thyme.
• Season the chicken with salt and cayenne.
• Add the chicken to the roux-water mixture & simmer for 1 hour.
• Add the andouille sausage & cook for 1 hour more, or until chicken is tender.
• Skim off any oil that has risen to the surface. Remove the bay leaves.
• Check seasonings. Add more salt & cayenne if necessary.
• Add the green onion & parsley.
• Serve immediately in soup bowls over steamed rice.
• File powder can be passed around the table so that guests can add it to the gumbo according to individual tastes.

REAL CAJUN GUMBO (FROM A LOUISIANAIAN)

Steps:

• Using a sharp boning knife cut the stewing hen into 8-10 serving pieces.
• Remove as much of the fat from the chicken as possible.
• Cut andouille into ½-inch slices and set aside.
• In a 2-gallon stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until golden brown roux is achieved. Do not scorch. Should black specks appear, discard and begin again.
• Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.
• Blend in chicken and andouille. Sauté approximately 15 minutes.
• Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated.
• Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 1 hour.
• Skim any fat or oil that rises to the top of the pot.
• Add green onions, bay leaf, thyme and basil.
• Season to taste using salt, pepper and hot sauce.
• Cook an additional 30 minutes or longer if necessary, until chicken is tender and falling apart.
• Add parsley and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Serve over hot, steamed white rice.
• NOTE: You may wish to boil the chicken 1-2 hours prior to beginning the gumbo to tenderize the meat. Reserve this stock, bone the chicken and use the meat and stock in the gumbo.

CAJUN GUMBO RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt duck fat in a large pot on medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Continue cooking on medium heat, whisking frequently, until the roux is dark brown, the color of milk chocolate, but not black or burned. This will take about 18 to 20 minutes, depending on your flame.
• When you reach the desired color, immediately add the trinity-the diced onions, green pepper, and celery-plus the garlic. Using a wooden spoon , stir the trinity into the roux, making sure it is evenly distributed, season with a few pinches of salt and black pepper. The roux will look dry at first, cook the trinity in the roux, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften and the roux looks moist, about 10 minutes.
• Gradually stir in the chicken stock, dissolving the roux and preventing lumps, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the pot to a boil.
• While you're waiting for the pot to boil, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add the tablespoon of oil to the pan.
• Place the thighs skin-side down in the pan and sear until the skin is a deep golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Flip the thighs and sear the bone side for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the thighs from the pan and add to the pot, leaving the fat in the pan and keeping the sauté pan on medium-high heat.
• Add the sliced andouille to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned in places and the edges are curling, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, then use a spatula to scrape the andouille and any accumulated fat into the pot. Add the crab knuckle and give the contents a good stir to combine. If the ingredients are not covered by the stock, add 1 to 2 cups water to just cover.
• Raise the heat under the pot and bring its contents to a full boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the bay leaves and dried thyme. Skim any fat and foam that accumulates on the surface and simmer for one hour.
• Carefully remove the chicken thighs to a large plate. When the chicken has cooled a bit, discard the skin, bones, and cartilage, shred the meat, and return it to the simmering pot.
• Add the okra and Worcestershire sauce and continue simmering the gumbo for another hour on low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure it's not sticking or burning.
• Remove the crab knuckle and pick out any remaining meat. Stir the crab meat into the gumbo to distribute and then discard the shell. Stir in the filé powder, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• To serve, place about 1/2 cup cooked rice into serving bowls and ladle the gumbo on top of the rice. Garnish with sliced scallions and add a few dashes of hot sauce to taste.

REAL CAJUN SEAFOOD GUMBO (FROM A LOUISIANIAN)

Steps:

• In a 7-quart cast iron dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Sprinkle in flour and, using a wire whisk, stir constantly until brown roux is achieved. Do not allow roux to scorch. Should black specks appear in roux, discard and begin again.
• Once roux is golden brown, add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté approximately 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.
• Add andouille, blend well into vegetable mixture and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Add claw crabmeat and stir into roux. This will begin to add seafood flavor to the mixture.
• Slowly add hot shellfish stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated.
• Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 30 minutes. Add additional stock if necessary to retain volume.
• Add green onions and parsley.
• Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold.
• Fold shrimp, lump crab meat, oysters and reserved oyster liquid into soup.
• Return to a low boil and cook approximately 5 minutes.
• Adjust seasonings and serve over cooked rice.

THE BEST LEFTOVER TURKEY GUMBO

Steps:

• Make the roux.
• In a large Dutch oven, over medium heat, combine the oil and flour.
• Cook, stirring constantly until dark brown (chocolate colored) for 20-30 minutes.
• Add all the chopped veggies to the roux, along with the chopped sausage.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are very soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add the salt and cayenne pepper.
• Add the broth and water, combining well.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hrs.
• Add the turkey and sliced sausage to the gumbo.
• Cook 15 minutes more.
• Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then skim any fat that has risen to the surface.
• Stir in green onions and parsley.
• Serve over rice, with hot french bread!

AUTHENTIC CAJUN GUMBO

Steps:

• Place the first 11 ingredients in a stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours., Remove chicken and allow to cool. Strain broth, discarding vegetables; skim fat. Remove meat from bones; cut chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside. Discard bones., In the same pan, cook and stir oil and flour over medium heat until caramel-colored, about 14 minutes (do not burn). Add finely chopped onion; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil., Carefully stir in sausage and reserved chicken. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in okra and oysters. Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or just until okra is tender. Stir in file powder. Serve with rice.

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.