It sounds delicious. Personally I would add okra which is my favorite part of gumbo.

Very interesting technique with the flour. I will have to try that - when I get a new range. The baking element went out in my current oven.

Unique sounding recipe. I like okra, just not in my gumbo, and I don't want seafood in it either, this recipe sounds very promising. Thanks!

Beverly

Sounds good. One minor suggestion: unless the turkey sausage is really good, it might be better to go ahead and use a good pork sausage--andouille, kielbasa, etc. I once made a chicken & sausage gumbo with turkey sausage, and the sausage ended up tasting like hot dogs. Not terrible, but from then on I've just made it as a rich dish, to h*ll with the calories, and just not eaten as much of the sausage. A lot of the fat in this dish will rise to the surface during cooking and you can degrease it easily enough.

"Personally I would add okra which is my favorite part of gumbo."

Absolutely!

Jim

Is it gumbo without okra? I think gumbo means okra. HA! Sounds good though, I don't think my husband would touch a piece of okra!

I can get excellent turkey sausage here so it won't be a problem.

Okra is very RARELY used in chicken gumbo. I don't know of anyone in my family that would ever use it. We always use file' to thicken and season the chicken gumbo. Okra is usually used as the thickener in seafood gumbo. The two dishes taste totally different. Okra just doesn't go well in chicken gumbo.

Talk to ten Cajun cooks and you'll get ten different definitions of gumbo. Different recipes are made with file as a thickener or okra as a thickener, but usually not both. Seafood gumbo, for instance, is usually made as an okra gumbo. (Although there isn't any Department of Gumbo in the government to penalize you if you decide to break 'rules'. Yet.)

I've always made chicken and sausage gumbo as a file gumbo, not as an okra gumbo.

And you're right, the word for okra was originally 'gombo', if I remember correctly.

Oops--dlynn was posting while I was typing. Great minds think alike.

I've mentioned this a few times before, but if anyone wants an excellent introduction to authentic Louisiana cookery, the book at the link is a wonderful place to start. The recipes are precise and detailed without being overly fussy, but if you follow the directions you will end up with fabulous food. It's out of stock currently at Amazon; there are copies available at addall.com, though. Hopefully it isn't going out of print. It's the book that taught me to cook. (My Amazon review is the first one listed there.) It's one of my 'desert-island' cookbooks, along with Julia Child and Marcella Hazan.

Here is a link that might be useful: the New Orleans cookbook

Thanks arley and dlynn, for the clarifications re different types of gumbo. I had forgotten. Normally I make only the seafood type.

Jim

I've added smoked paprika to mine.

I've used turkey sausage as well since we don't eat pork.

I know my question isn't about real chicken gumbo, but what were those little balls in Campbell's chicken gumbo soup? Don't know if they're still there; haven't had it since I was a child.

(Although there isn't any Department of Gumbo in the government to penalize you if you decide to break 'rules'. Yet.)

Thanks for clearing that up arley! I love okra.

Teresa

Wow, what a lot of comments.

I've made it with and without the file. Dh does not like the taste of file - too woodsy for him.

I use a lean Jalapeno Turkey sausage that is pork free as, like Jessy, we don't eat pork.

There is very little fat in this particular recipe. If you look at it, it's ONE Tablespoon of oil in the entire recipe and any fat that comes from the sausage and chicken. most of the fat cooks off both of those when you saute them.

It's a very healthy way to get a great gumbo taste without all the hassle of a roux.

For the record, I love Okra but have never had it in a gumbo as most seafood gumbo's contain shrimp and I'd rather live. (shellfish allergies are ugly)

Off to check out the mentioned cookbook and to see if my library has it.

In our family, file was on the table as a condiment, to be added as each diner saw fit. Some cooks add it at the end of cooking and let it sit for a few minutes before serving, but not everybody cares for the taste.

I happen to live in an area where three small towns each claim to be the Gumbo Capital of the World.

Yes, there are many different types of Gumbos with seafood and chicken/sausage being the most popular. I've cooked in many Cajun cooking competitions over the years and consider myself to be an expert in gumbo. In competition we usually cook in 5 to 10 gallon batches. Many of these gumbos are simply awesome in taste.....much much better than what can be had in ANY restaurant and prepared by professional chefs.

The secret to a good chicken gumbo is in the sausage used, in boiling the chicken bones, and not using too much bell pepper. Bell pepper kills the chicken flavor. Like my long deceased grandmother taught me many years ago.......Never Never Never use any bell pepper in a chicken stew.....and do not use too much in a chicken gumbo because it will kill the delicate chicken flavor.

File is used only as a seasoning and not as a "thickener". File being used as a thickener is baloney and a figment in the imagination of non Cajun cooks. Use file lightly and only after the fire is turned off. It will get ropey if boiled. Cajuns do not like ropey or slimy gumbo from file or from improperly cooked okra. Also, a little bit of acidity will DRAMATICALLY improve the flavor of gumbo. In Cajun country we use a few drops of hot vinegar from hot peppers that are steeped in vinegar in small bottles. I make my own using hot bird's eye or cayenne peppers steeped in regular white vinegar.

IMO, the above recipe is a good one. However, I would cut back on the amount of bell pepper for a better chicken flavor. I would also use chicken thighs.....dark meat is much much better than white meat in a gumbo. The dark meat will look white after cooking. It will hold together better and has a better flavor in gumbo. Boil the chicken thighs in a separate pot. When tender, debone the thighs into rather large pieces. Then put the bones and skin (important to add skin too) back into the boiling pot and boil the bones for 45 minutes to an hour and stain this stock. Prepare your recipe as above....but put the chicken meat back into the main pot at the very end of cooking. Use your prepared stock along with purchased to attain correct volume. A good chicken gumbo will completely turn into a jell upon cooling in the refrigerator. It ain't true Cajun gumbo unless it jells!! A gumbo that jells will have awesome flavor and "mouth feel".

FYI, brown flour for roux is available at all super markets in my area. There are many makers of this product and choices go from light to dark brown. Also, prepared roux (with oil) is readily available in jars. Again, going from light to dark brown. It will keep for at least a year in the refrigerator.

The secret to a good seafood gumbo is in the separate "browning" of the okra and using a tiny bit of dried shrimp....or shrimp powder.

Dan

Great advice, Dan! Everything you said is supported in one way or another by my experiences. I just have not put all that info together in one delicious pot of chicken gumbo. Now I will.

Jim

Dan great post!!

Just to clarify, I developed the recipe above as a heart heathy Gumbo, low in fat. For that reason I chose white meat over dark and browned flour over a roux as well as a low fat turkey sausage over regular.

Having read your post though, and having made a chicken stew last night for dinner, I think that next time I make this Gumbo, I am going to poach the chicken rather than saute it.

Last time I made it, I doubled the chicken and sausage without doubling anything else and it was superb. Now I know why.

Thanks again

what were those little balls in Campbell's chicken gumbo soup?

Christine, those little balls are immature okra seeds. Long, long time ago, I used to eat that soup. It was pretty good until Campbell's decided to 'new & improve' it. Quit buying it after it was 'improved'.

I'm not much for canned soups but I do like the Aldi Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. IMO, it's better than the Campbell's Chunky version.

Thank you, ci_lantro. Okra seeds! I remember the balls as sort of pinkish. Is that wrong? And they seemed bigger than okra seeds would be. (but then I was smaller...)

FYI....

The very best smoked sausages to be had for Gumbos are produced in the South Eastern part of Louisiana. Here is one of the places where I buy my Andouille and smoked sausage. These people produce one of the best Andouilles and routinely ship tons of product all over the US. A very good gumbo can be produced just using their smoked sausage and chicken.

You will notice that they sell Chicken Andouille and Chicken smoked sausage too. They also have the dry roux mix that I described above....but, that dry roux product is becoming widely available in many stores across the US. It may well be in a store near you.

Dan

Here is a link that might be useful: Real Cajun Andouille and Smoke Sausage source.

I don't like any green pepper at all in my chicken gumbo and my grandma never put it in hers, but I know some people do.

We always add our file' at the table, too because everyone likes a different amount of that flavor. Our chicken gumbo is usually not really very thick at all, the seafood gumbo is much thicker.

We don't add red pepper/hot vinegar to chicken gumbo. We use black pepper flavor in the chicken gumbo, and we don't make it very spicy. We use the red pepper/Tabasco-type flavors in seafood gumbo, and it is usually much spicier.

We finally found a meat market here in Colorado that makes great Cajun sausage, so we don't have to get our sausage from home anymore --- makes it much easier and less expensive to make good gumbo. Now if we could only find some good crawfish and muffalettas out here!

My husband has added fresh basil to our gumbo occasionally and it is quite good. It doesn't taste exactly like it's "supposed" to, so I still insist on leaving it out some of the time, but it is a nice addition now and then.

Dan, do you live in LaPlace? My dad worked there when I was a kid.

I live near La Place and retired from working at one of the industries along the River. If you are ever in the area around Christmas time, there is an annual Festival of the Bonfires event in Luther/Gramercy. They have an annual gumbo cook-off with the best you will find anywhere. Hundreds of cooks compete in the different gumbo categories. This is where I had my first taste of Red Bean gumbo. It is one that is gaining in popularity because it is so good. There is a recipe for a simple one on the link I've posted above. There is some really good information in that link too if you poke around on that website. La Place has an annual Andouille festival. Good eats are to be had at that event too.

You will not find many Cajuns adding herbs to their gumbo. I will try adding some basil next time to check out the flavor that it adds.

Dan

Dan, you live near my old stompin' grounds. While I grew up in Baton Rouge (my dad was a chemist at Copolymer in BR), my grandparents lived just a few miles away from LaPlace, in Norco. So I was there at least once a month and grew up with the good food there.

I still have 3 siblings in BR, and since BR seems to be growing in a southeasterly direction along I-10 and Airline, they really aren't that far from LaPlace. I'm gonna forward the recommendation of Jack's as a source for good Cajun meat products. (For years their favorite place to get boudin was Champagne's market in Lutcher.)

I love the Bonfires in St. James Parish! All I get to do these days is look at the pictures everyone sends me every year since we don't make it back for Christmas. Sure miss it, though.

Dan, like I said, the basil is good but just doesn't taste "right". So we don't do it often. I like it to taste just like when I was growing up.

Arley,

There is a place in Lutcher that makes excellent smoked sausage and Andouille too.......it's called "Veron's Supermarket". It is located on the opposite side of the street as Lutcher High School. Their smoked sausage is the one I use for making Jambalaya.....it has more meat in it than most sausage recipes. There is a similar company near Baton Rouge that labels their meat products "Veron" (without the "s")......it is not the same product as "Veron's". I highly recommend Veron's products too.

The best boudin is produced in the Southwestern part of Louisiana (not in my area).....near Lafayette. Those guys are the experts on boudin. We are the experts on Andouille. Just outside of Lafayette one half mile off I-10, there is a place in Scott, La. called "Best Stop" that literally sells tons of boudin per day....it is that good. They also produce some of the best cracklings around. They have a website and sell product all over the US. The smoked boudin is especially good. Give it a try if you are ever in that area.

dlynn, if you ever make it to the Bonfire gumbo cook-offs, you can buy a sampler ticket which will allow you to taste quite a few gumbos. Many will literally knock your socks off and by all means try the Red Bean gumbo. And if you are lucky one of the locals will have one made with smoked tamed duck....it is especially rich tasting. Makes you wanna dance all night.....and yes they always have a band.

Dan

Several of my best friends from LSU are graduates of Lutcher High School. We still talk almost daily. I'll have to ask them about Veron's.

You're right, Dan. My friend says: "You absolutely cannot beat their andouille!"

LOL: Dan, I emailed the info on Veron's to my sister. Her response was, "Duh!" her husband is from Gramercy, and I forgot that Gramercy was near Lutcher; for years she and her husband have made sausage runs from BR to Veron's every few months.

Still a bit OT. But this seems a good place to reveal another "secret" from my long deceased grandmother who gave me some real good "bell pepper" advice.

ALWAYS always always....put a little bell pepper when you cook Cajun style white beans. It DRAMATICALLY improves the flavor. Saute ham seasoning, onions, and a bit of bell pepper in oil. Cook until the onions get clear. Add this mixture to the boiling beans....add oil too. Note that it is very very important (a chemistry thing) to cook the seasonings on the side BEFORE adding to the boiling beans. When the beans are just about done, add "thin slices" (not crushed) of fresh garlic.....add some fresh Italian parsley at this time too. This very simple technique really makes a big difference.

Dan

Dan,

What is "ham seasoning"? I like white beans. I want to try this and I want to get it right.

Jim

Jim,

Ham seasonings are the odds and ends from a baked or a boiled ham. It can even be the ham bone. In our area we can buy thick slices of "front shoulder" picnic hams (very cheap and with skin still attached) for seasoning beans. A good quality boiled ham that is cut into cubes will work just as well. Tasso, smoked sausage, pickle meat, and salt meat are also excellent choices for seasoning white beans. To my taste, ham seasonings provide the best flavor. Just cook the seasoning meat a bit with onions and a bit of bell pepper before adding to the beans. Cook the beans until they become creamy. I prefer Great Northern white beans over Navy Pea beans. I use about 1/3 pound of seasoning meat to a pound of dry beans. Cooked white beans keep real well in the freezer for at least a year. I love to eat them over rice with a good roast beef gravy on top. Or eat them on the side of Jambalaya as we Cajuns do. Or eat them over rice on Fridays with fried catfish as a side....had that for dinner yesterday.

Dan

loves2cook4six,

I'm in a very good mood right now thanks to a couple of Crown and cokes I've had in my home office. Since you were so kind to share your Gumbo recipe with others and allowed me to go a bit off topic. I will reveal ONLY TO YOU another Cajun cooking secret that even most Cajuns do not know about.......

To make a Fat Free Roux in "minutes".....place one cup of all purpose flour (important to use all purpose) in a glass casserole or measuring cup. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Stir well, Repeat microwaving flour at 2 minute intervals, stirring well, until flour is dark brown. Please do not reveal this secret to others. It is just between you and me in reward for your kindness. OK??

I promise that you will love that method of preparing a fat free roux!! I have several other methods for preparing roux with and without oil if interested. However, I still love to make mine the old fashioned way. Best of luck to you in cooking Cajun style. Again, thanks for sharing your cooking success with others.

Dan

OK - Dan
Now you've peaked my interest. So, what is the old fashion way?

Can you be real specific? I know now that you use all-purpose flour.
What amount? -type of fat? -size of saucepan or is it a frying pan?
How much heat? - low, medium, high or start out high and then go to low? How long to cook?

I really am a dummy at this and need more SECRETS!

Thanks for your valued (by me) info.

-gloria

Thanks Dan. Will try that.

Gloria, I'm definitely no Cajun, come from much further south (LOL) but an old fashioned roux is made with oil and flour cooked low and slow with lots of stirring till the roux is a deep dark brown and imparts an amazing taste to your Gumbo.

I am sure Dan would love to give all of us a great homemade old-fashioned roux recipe.