Gumbo Cookoff Winner - Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
I won first prize with this recipe at an annual Gumbo Cookoff for Mardi Gras in Soulard (St. Louis). I refuse to believe it won just because the cookoff/party happened to be at my house! It is a hybrid of several gumbo recipes I've tried, including one in the Southern Sideboards recipe book from the Junior League of Jackson, Mississippi. Note: cooking and prep time are listed as if you are preparing the different parts of the recipe simultaneously. You can certainly make the chicken/stock ahead and spread out your prep time for chopping/measuring spices over a couple days.
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INGREDIENTS
Nutrition- 4 1⁄2lbs whole chickens
- 1
- 4 -8sprigs fresh parsley
- 1
- 1
- 1⁄2cup white wine
- 6 -8
- 1teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2teaspoon black pepper
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1⁄2
- 1⁄3cup vegetable oil
- 1⁄2
- 2
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 1
- 1
- 1 1⁄2
- 1 1⁄2
- 1tablespoon salt
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons black pepper
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons file powder
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DIRECTIONS
- Place chicken and next 10 ingredients in large stockpot and cover with water (approx. 1 gallon) and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender (approx. 1 hour).
- Using tongs, remove chicken to a strainer and cool.
- Strain chicken stock into a large container (discard whatever the strainer catches). Save stock for use in gumbo later.
- Remove meat from bones in pieces and reserve to add to gumbo later.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Add okra to skillet and cook until no longer sticky, stirring frequently (about 20 minutes), then set aside to add to gumbo later.
- Stir flour and 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir frequently until it becomes a deep, golden brown roux (approx, 30 minutes). It should appear to be the color of peanut butter.
- Add the chopped yellow onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic to the roux and stir until soft.
- Add 4 cups of the reserved chicken stock and okra, tomatoes, sausage, and all herbs/spices except for file powder. Cover partially and simmer until thickened (approx. 1.5 hours).
- Spoon off any fat from surface of gumbo.
- Add chicken and file powder and simmer 15 more minutes.
- Serve in bowls over steamed white rice.
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