Avoyelles Parish Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

gailanng's Note:

You couldn't get any more authentic. This was taught to me by my Cajun maternal grandmother who was taught by her maternal grandmother. I've never run across a gumbo recipe with "parsley meatballs". These are optional. I asked my mom about this and she said that this was probably used to "extend" the gumbo because there were usually so many mouths to feed. It's a great addition and worthy of the effort. An observation: never have I eaten Gumbo until recently that has been deboned and this was always at restaurants. Oh, using a baking hen results in a more velvety texture and I have to honestly say that I've never used a fryer. One last thing...it's freezable.

• Total Time: 3 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 pot

• 1 baking hen , washed and cut up
• 1 lb smoked sausage or 1 lb andouille sausage , sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• ½ lb ham , chunks diced small
• 2 large onions , chopped
• ¼ cup celery , minced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• ½ cup bell pepper , chopped
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• water
• salt
• pepper
• ¼ cup minced parsley , fresh
• 1 ½-2 cups green onions , tops and bottoms sliced thin

Optional parsley meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ¼ cup green onion , tops and bottoms sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley , fresh
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. In a very large heavy bottomed stock pot or gumbo pot, heat oil on medium heat until hot; add flour. Stir constantly until it reaches a reddish-brown color. This could take approximately 30-40 minutes. Don't hurry the process. If your phone rings, let it go. Should your roux burn, start over.
2. Turn off fire and carefully add chopped onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic; stir constantly for about 2 minutes.
3. Add water and cut-up hen pieces. The amount of water depends on your pot, but start off with 1 gallon. Bring to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours, uncovered. The broth consistency should not be too thin nor too thick. Add additional water when needed.
4. In the meantime make the parsley meatballs:.
5. In a bowl, break up ground beef.
6. Add 1/4 cup each green onions and parsley.
7. Salt and pepper to taste; mix using a light hand forming into balls; set aside.
8. After the first 1 1/2 hours of simmering and a water adjustment, add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add diced ham chunks, smoked sausage slices and parsley meatballs.
10. Simmer an additional 1/2 - 3/4 hour or until hen is very tender and falling off the bone.
11. Grease will form on top; skim off.
12. Turn off fire; add parsley and green onions.
13. Ladle over rice.

Reviews

[Elmotoo]

this is a bit of work, a bit of babysitting but the results.....omg are soo worth it!! Please DO pay attention to the roux! I got it successfully(!) to a beautiful caramel color. The only thing I would do differently is to use chicken parts with out rib bones....picking out small bones got in the way of shoveling big mouthfuls. ;) i did make the meatballs & they are fabulous! We absolutely loved this. I highly recommend that everyone should find a day & create this masterpiece! made for 2/11 aussie/nz swap.