Big Charlies Gumbo Food

BIG CHARLIE'S GUMBO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, onions, celery and okra, stirring constantly until golden brown. Set aside.
• In a large heavy bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup of butter and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes chocolate brown. Stir in the vegetable mixture, and stew meat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, and meat is evenly brown. Stir in water, tomatoes and sugar. Season with parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Add shrimp, crabmeat and andouille to stock pot. Stir in hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove seeds from lemon and squeeze juice into stock pot. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves, sprinkle with filé powder, if using, and serve over rice.

BIG-BATCH ANDOUILLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and the sausage, and cook, stirring, until it has browned and much of the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil, and heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, celery and 2 teaspoons salt, and cook, partially covered, lifting the lid to stir occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes (add a splash of water or broth if the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pot). Add the okra, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and crushed red peppers, and cook, stirring, until the okra begins to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and reserved sausage, and bring to a high simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, to heat through the soup and let the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. If you want the soup thinner, add a little more chicken broth or water. Stir in the vinegar, scallions and parsley, and add salt to taste.
• Let the soup cool to room temperature, then divide it among four 1-quart containers and freeze for up to 1 month.
• To reheat: Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Thin it with a little water if desired, and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve with steamed white rice.

GUMBO

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the chicken pieces, salt, hot sauce, liquid smoke and black pepper with 4 cups water in a large resealable bag and place inside a container (in case of leaks). Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and discard the brine.
• For the stock: If you have the time, allow the chicken to drain and dry out about 30 minutes prior to searing. It will create a better crust on the chicken and more brown bits on the bottom of the pot, ultimately adding more flavor to the gumbo.
• Sprinkle the chicken pieces, including the reserved neck, back and wing tips, with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven (enameled cast iron preferred), heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken pieces and brown well on all sides, turning as needed. Add the celery, carrots, onions and jalapenos, and continue to brown for an additional 10 minutes. Add 1 gallon water and the liquid smoke and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• After 1 1/2 hours, remove the chicken pieces, discarding the back, neck and wing tips. Strain the stock and reserve. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and shred, discarding the bones and fat.
• For the gumbo: In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausages and cook until the fat has rendered down, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Add the bacon fat and, when shimmering, add the onions, celery, bell peppers and Anaheim peppers. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are just starting to color, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, being careful not to let it burn. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Stir until a dark golden roux has developed, 11 to 13 minutes. Add 1 cup at a time of the stock, incorporating well after each addition, to total 6 cups.
• Add the reserved sausages, shredded chicken, cayenne and white pepper into the pot. Heat through and add the salt and black pepper. If the gumbo is too thick, add a bit more stock to the pot, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
• Serve over rice and garnish with parsley.

BIG DADDY'S LOUISIANA GUMBO

Steps:

• Cut all chicken pieces in half except for the legs. Season to taste with garlic powder, seasoning salt and dust with 1/2 cup of flour.
• reserving remaining flour for making the roux. Heat butter and 1/4 cup lard in a large stock pot or dutch oven.
• Add chicken to the pot a few pieces at a time and cook until browned , about 10 minute each side.
• Remove from pan and set aside.
• Before starting the roux put your chicken stock into a pan and start to heat it up, you will want it warm to hot before putting it in the recipe.
• (The Roux).
• Add remaining lard to pan (see notes) and heat to smoking (about 5 minute or so), stirring with wire whisk constantly.
• to scrape up brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Carefully whisk in remaining flour and continue to cook and stir.
• over medium heat until mixture becomes brick red color in nature, about 20 minutes. Be careful to not let the mixture cook too fast or.
• let spatter on skin (southern napalm) as it is extremely hot and scorches easily.
• (The Hard Part is almost Over).
• Reduce heat to low, stir in onion, celery and green pepper, garlic, sausage, peppers, oregano, thyme, parsley and salt.
• Cook for 5 minutes or so until the veggies are soft but not brown.
• Gradually whisk in hot stock a few cups at a time until all the stock is in the pot.
• Return the chicken to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the mixture to medium or medium high and simmer covered for about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Add shrimp and simmer 5 minutes longer.
• Serve over hot cooked rice and if desired minced parsley and file powder.
• Put out a bottle of hot sauce for those who like a little more heat.
• Notes.
• 1) You can substitute any cooking oil for the lard in browning the chicken and in making the roux.
• Just remember in making the roux it is equal parts of flour to oil or lard.
• 2) You need to be patient in making the roux, if you burn it at all, just throw it away and begin again. I find if the roux is getting too hot remove the pan from the heat for a short period of time but always remember to keep stirring, that point can't be stressed enough.
• Creole cooks have been known to cook their roux for and hour or more depending on the consistency and the color of the roux that they wanted. For extra rich color and flavor cook and stir the roux
• over medium low heat for 45 minutes to an hour but keep stirring.
• 3) This is a big pot, lots of room , if you like more shrimp add more
• I have added split crab claws to the gumbo at the same time the shrimp is added.
• Enjoy and.
• Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez.

" BIG EASY " GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until flour is chocolate colored. Do not burn mixture.
• Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion and next 4 ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth; add chicken and next 2 ingredients. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
• Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Serve over hot rice.