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Authentic Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Authentic Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

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Authentic Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
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Authentic Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo: It’s authentic!

This is the real deal, folks. This is authentic gumbo.

This isn’t store-bought. This isn’t frozen. This isn’t pre-packaged.

This is something you make with your own hands in your own kitchen in your own house. Or maybe at a friend’s house. 😉

There’s nothing like the warm nuttiness of a roux pervading the rooms of a house in the late afternoon. Gumbo-making is a community event (which is something we’ll talk about a bit more later in this post). Not only can everybody smell it, but you need a big pot to make it in.

I can still think back to my days as child of 7 or 8, and I can recall the smell of my mom making roux and the happiness that smell brought me. My mom used to make chicken and sausage gumbo regularly. Gumbo is a dish of smells. Roux. Sauteing onions, celery and bell pepper. Fresh garlic. And after all of those delicious smells comes yet another delicious smell: sausage cooking in a skillet (because you have to de-grease the sausage before adding it to the gumbo).

Andouille? What’s that?

And speaking of sausage, what’s up with the andouille?

If you are not from South Louisiana, you may have never had real gumbo before, and you probably never heard of andouille. Andouille is a coarse-grained spicy smoked pork sausage used in gumbo to add heat and flavor. In this case, “heat” refers to “spicy hotness,” or as we say down here, “it’s hot with pepper” as opposed to being “hot with fire.” You typically wouldn’t see anyone down here eating andouille sausage, except in a gumbo or another gumbo-related dish.

Simple. Deep. Rich.

That’s gumbo. Simple ingredients. Deep flavor. Rich goodness. It’s an ideal dish for cooler weather. But since it tastes so good and we don’t have too much cool weather down here, we often joke that as long as it’s in the lower 70s it’s OK to make gumbo.

I have shared with you my recipe for Turkey Bone Gumbo, which (for us) is the only reason we bake a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Sure, baked turkey is OK. But we really just want the bones and the leftover meat for gumbo the next day. 😉

I have also shared with you my recipes for Seafood Gumbo and Shrimp and Okra Gumbo (and I even shared a Gluten-free Shrimp and Okra Gumbo). Seafood Gumbo is definitely a winter dish for us, and we usually make it only once or twice a year. Why? Because the seafood is so expensive. It certainly ain’t cheap. And the Shrimp and Okra Gumbo is confusing. It’s confusing because gumbo is really for cooler weather, but shrimp season and okra season span the summer. Yes, you can use frozen shrimp to make that gumbo any time of the year, but I really prefer cooking with fresh ingredients. So, I humbly confess that we did indeed have a Shrimp and Okra smack dab in the middle of summer. And it was good, yeah!

Even though I make those other gumbos and I have shared those recipes with you, I have to tell you that this Chicken and Andouille Gumbo is really  my favorite. It is the simplest to make. And it just warms my heart.

Is it ‘chicken’ or ‘shicken’? Let’s ask Justin Wilson.

One of my earliest foodie influences was Justin Wilson. He was an old Cajun fella (who wasn’t really Cajun!) who did comedy and cooking. He had a cooking show long before cooking shows were all the rage. He cooked good Cajun food and told funny stories. He always made me laugh.

Even though he wasn’t really Cajun, his wife was. And he worked hard to develop an authentic Cajun accent. “Chicken” was a word that he often pronounced as “shicken,” as in a “Shicken and Andouille Gumbo.” For your viewing entertainment, I have included a short clip here of Justin Wilson making his famous “Shicken and Andouille Gumbo.” I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Riddle me this: Why the roux?

So why the roux? Well, first of all, without the roux there is no gumbo. No roux, no gumbo.

Roux is equal parts oil and flour. Essentially, you are frying the flour in the oil until it becomes the color of dark chocolate (but without burning it!). Why do we do this? Because that roux adds a depth of color and flavor to the gumbo that it would not have otherwise. It also thickens up the gumbo, setting it apart from any other kind of soup.

What kind of oil? What kind of flour?

I’ve seen rouxs made with olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, Crisco vegetable shortening, but I don’t recommend any of those. I’ve seen rouxs made with butter, reduced chicken fat, goose fat, coconut oil, and even the grease from andouille. I do recommend those oils. You need something with a high smoke point. You don’t want to burn the oil.

Any kind of flour will do. All-Purpose. Bread flour. That really doesn’t matter much. The main thing is that you use equal parts oil and flour, and that you don’t burn it. Recently, I’ve started adding a little more flour that oil. I find that it speeds the process up a bit. Normally, making a roux can take 20 to 30 minutes. If you are confident in what you are doing, you can make it in half the time by turning up the heat. But I don’t recommend that for folks who are not veteran roux makers. It is so easy to burn a roux. And nothing smells worse in the kitchen. Well, maybe there are worse things. But burnt roux is pretty bad.

An alternative to the traditional oil and flour roux, is a dry roux made in the oven. It takes longer to make the roux, but it demands less attention. In my experience, the results are the same. Just less mess and more time to chop onions, bell peppers, and celery.

How to make a Gluten-Free roux.

If you have gone gluten-free, you can still make a roux. Just use a gluten-free flour. I made a gluten-free roux recently with gluten-free flour and coconut oil. It turned out to be one of the best rouxs I have ever made.

The not-so-secret Secret Ingredient

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Do you want to make the best gumbos possible? Do you want to make the best soups? Then use stocks, not water.

For this Chicken and Andouille Gumbo I recommend using a chicken stock. The stock I used the other day had been simmering on the stove for four days before I used it. It was so rich and so dark, it looked like coffee. I kid you not. For other gumbos you can use a turkey stock or a shrimp stock. Believe me, this really is the not-so-secret secret ingredient. If you put forth the extra effort to cook with stocks instead of water, your family, friends and even the folks that live down the street will thank you. In their eyes you will be a hero.

Big Pot = Big Love

And speaking of the folks that live down the street… I mentioned earlier that making gumbo is a community event. And it is. It is big pot cooking. So share the love with family and friends. Invite people over. Maybe even invite those crazy people who live down the street.

Seriously, I think that one of the reasons life is so overwhelming for all of us these days is that we are too busy for our own good. As human beings, creatures made in the image and likeness of God, we have a built-in way of combating the insanity of our busy lives: eating. We have to eat to live. And most of us eat on a schedule, three times a day. Why not take advantage of that built-in scheduled necessity and do what our parents and grandparents and ancestors did? Let’s take our time. Slow down. Linger at table. Share the meal with family and friends. Let’s allow our eating, our dining, to restore our humanity, which the world continuously tries to rip away from us.

Big pot. Big love. Share the love.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup butter (or reduced chicken or goose fat, or some other type of oil with a high smoke point)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 green bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 12 to 14 cups chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 lbs andouille sausage, de-greased is skillet or in oven, then cut links length-wise and slice (like half-moons)
  • The meat from two whole chickens, de-boned (I roast my chickens first)
  • 1 cup green onions, chopped (will need extra for individual bowls)
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped (will need extra for individual bowls)
  • Your favorite hot sauce (Louisiana, Crystal, Tabasco), to taste
  • 1 to 2 cups of long-grain white rice, prepared according to package directions

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add butter (or other oil) and heat until it begins to sizzle.
  3. Add flour and whisk to incorporate. Continue whisking until the roux reaches the color of dark chocolate. Be careful not to burn the roux. NOTE: Alternatively, you can make a dry roux in the oven.
  4. Once the roux has reached the desired color, add the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Stir well, and allow to cook down for about five minutes or so. You want the veggies to soften and become translucent.
  5. Add the stock, bay leaves, the andouille, salt, and cayenne. Depending on the volume of your veggies, you may need to add a little more stock.
  6. Stir well, and bring to a simmer. Allow the gumbo to simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the chicken.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium low, continuing to allow the gumbo to simmer for about 40 minutes.
  8. Taste for seasoning and thickness. Make adjustments as necessary.
  9. Serve gumbo over rice in an bowl. Keep Tabasco or Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce on hand in case anyone wants to add it to their bowl. Also have chopped parsley and chopped green onions available to add to individual bowls.

Your turn.

Like gumbo? Have a favorite gumbo story? Like to slow down and eat dinner with you family on a regular basis? Do you invite those crazy people down the street over for dinner from time to time? I’d love to hear about it! Tell me all about it in the comments below!

Bon appetit!

About Jeff Young

Jeff Young, perhaps better known as The Catholic Foodie, is an author, blogger, radio host and podcaster. He is the founder and producer of The Catholic Foodie blog and podcast where he provides "Catholic culinary inspiration to help you grow in faith around the table." Jeff hosts a daily radio show – The Catholic Foodie Show – on BreadboxMedia.com, and he co-hosts the Around the Table Food Show on Catholic Community Radio 690AM (New Orleans) and 1380AM (Baton Rouge). Jeff is a monthly contributor to CatholicMom.com and a contributing author of Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary, published by Ave Maria Press. Jeff is also a contributing author of The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections by Ave Maria Press. Jeff Young is a proud member of the elite Catholic Speakers Organization, CMG Booking. Jeff has spoken on topics ranging from "growing in faith around the table" to "using social media in the New Evangelization." Jeff's first book, Around the Table with The Catholic Foodie: Middle Eastern Cuisine, published by Liguori Publications is now available. With 78 recipes and stories of faith and family (including his travels to the Holy Land), the book is sure to inspire you to get into the kitchen and to gather your family around the table. The book is available on Amazon.com, Liguori.org, and wherever good Catholic books are sold.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fr. Mike

    September 30, 2012 at 11:55 AM

    My good friend and former associate pastor, Fr. Ben Bradshaw, who got his culinary degree at Johnson & Wales before he got his theology degree, gave me a “cheating” short cut for roux that I had never heard about. He said that in many restaurants when they had to make a roux, or just had to use flour to thicken a stock, they would brown the flour in the oven on a cookie sheet. It had to be spread very thin and had to bake it, not broil. But they were so use to doing this in restaurants, they had it down to a science and did not have to stand over a stove whisking the roux for 20-30 minutes like a saucier in a nice restaurant. I guess when the sous chef has to multi-task, you learn these little secrets so you can do other things at the same time.

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      September 30, 2012 at 12:09 PM

      Yes! Thanks for pointing that out, Fr. Mike. That is also the way that Alton Brown demonstrated making a roux in his famous Gumbo episode of Good Eats. I confess, though, that I have never tried it. I guess I need to the next time I make a gumbo. Thanks again for the tip!

      Reply
      • Christie Martin

        September 30, 2012 at 12:29 PM

        Can you post a link to that episode, Jeff? Pretty please?

        Reply
        • Jeff Young

          September 30, 2012 at 1:52 PM

          Here’s the episode on YouTube, Christie. I love this one! http://youtu.be/kmHMLDCflKg

          Reply
  2. Rebecca

    September 30, 2012 at 12:48 PM

    You mention using butter for your roux. The first time I tried making a roux, I used butter and never did get it to the dark chocolate color. It ended up being a blond gumbo. I’ve had better luck with canola oil, which you said you don’t recommend. How do you go about getting the dark chocolate color if you are using butter?

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      September 30, 2012 at 2:32 PM

      Rebecca, I think it’s all about the heat. It has to be hot enough, but not too hot. It is VERY easy to burn butter. But, having said that, there are a few tricks that I use when making a roux with butter. One trick is to turn the heat up just a little hotter than usual. But you have to stay on it and whisk continually. The second trick is to add just a bit more flour than oil. I find that adding more flour speeds the process up. When I make a roux with butter, I can usually have it where I want it in about 15 minutes. The reason that I don’t recommend canola is that I personally to stay as natural as possible. I’ve never really seen a canola. 😉 For a while I was using olive oil, but the problem with olive oil is that it has a low smoke point and it burns. If I were to use olive oil, I would use just plain olive oil, not extra-virgin. Oh, and I forgot to mention in the post that I once used bacon grease to make a roux. Now, that was insanely delicious! Bon appetit!

      Reply
  3. Tora Estep

    October 7, 2012 at 5:28 PM

    Sounds amazing! At some point I am just going to have to try it.

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      October 10, 2012 at 9:20 AM

      Please do! And make sure to tell me how it turns out afterwards. 😉

      Reply
  4. Lane R

    October 16, 2012 at 7:53 PM

    This sounds so delicious. I love gumbo. Problem is I definitely do not have a big enough pot. Even half the recipe sounds like it would feed a crowd.

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      October 18, 2012 at 6:18 PM

      Lane, it seems like all the traditional Cajun and Creole recipes were meant to be served family-style. They are almost all one-pot meals… BIG one-pot meals! Here at out house we make the big pots and then eat on it for days. 😉

      Reply
  5. Justin Combs

    October 26, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    I’ll be making this shortly after pay day.

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      October 26, 2012 at 1:12 PM

      Awesome, Justin! Don’t forget to take pics! And be sure to let me know how it turns out. Bon appetit, y’all!

      Reply
      • Justin Combs

        October 30, 2012 at 11:44 AM

        Will do brother!

        Reply
  6. Pete

    January 5, 2014 at 4:10 PM

    I added okra and deleted the cayenne. Served it at a wedding. they loved it!

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      January 29, 2014 at 1:43 PM

      Awesome, Pete! Glad everyone enjoyed it!

      Reply
  7. Theresa Thompson Boyle

    January 29, 2014 at 11:49 AM

    I’m new to making gumbo and am in the beginning stages of researching. I noticed your recipe doesn’t list file. Do you not use it? Why?

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      January 29, 2014 at 1:49 PM

      Hey Theresa! Thanks for the question! Filé, for me, has always been an afterthought. Sometimes, the gumbo just doesn’t need it. Filé is used to thicken the gumbo when it is served, and to add a bit of aromatic flavoring. I like filé, and I use it often… after the gumbo is cooked and I am serving my bowl. I guess it comes down to personal taste. We usually have filé on the table next to the Tabasco and Crystal hot sauces, so each person can “doctor” his or her own bowl. Does that make sense? Thanks again for the question!

      Reply
  8. Laurie

    February 26, 2014 at 8:08 AM

    This just popped up in my Facebook news feed. I love gumbo! It’s a family tradition that when cold weather hits, Mama makes a gumbo. (In my family, growing up, it was my dad who made the gumbo, and he learned from his dad. Knowing that the cold weather was upon is, it was so much fun to wake up to the smell of a roux!)

    For years, I’ve stood at the stove with a cast iron skillet, a wooden spoon and four cups of flour – turning, stirring, and begging for a different way to make a dry roux. Enter Google: my husband and I made gumbo for 40 this past Christmas, and there was NO WAY I was standing at the stove to do that much roux! So I Googled how to make a dry roux and got your recipe. So. Much. Easier.

    I know I’m breaking family tradition, but I’m going to look at it as starting a new one. Now my sons can help make the roux, and we can all get in the kitchen and cook together!

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      February 26, 2014 at 8:12 AM

      Awesome, Laurie! Yes, you are right. The dry roux works just a well, and it is so much easier. You can also do it in bigger batches. Making a roux in the oven takes away from the mystique, I think. But, still, it is generally a more practical way to make roux. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  9. Dusty

    April 19, 2014 at 4:10 PM

    Love the post! Was wondering if you used the Bod’s red mill gluten-free all purpose flour specifically for this gumbo?

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      April 22, 2014 at 3:43 PM

      Thanks! No, for this gumbo I used King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. But I do have a recipe for a gluten-free Shrimp and Okra Gumbo here: http://cfjwyoung.wpengine.com/gluten-free-shrimp-and-okra-gumbo

      Reply
  10. Alli-kat

    January 11, 2015 at 5:33 PM

    Roasted the chickens, made the stock,did the roux. Have tried it before, but didn’t get that the roux needed to be so dark. Really yummy! Spicier than I thought it would be, which is very good! Will do it again, thanks!

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      February 27, 2015 at 3:00 PM

      So glad it worked out! And thanks so much for the pic! LOVE IT!

      Reply
  11. J. Collins Murphy

    February 27, 2015 at 2:43 PM

    I always thought okra was a staple of gumbo, but you do not use in this particular recipe. Any particular reason why?

    Reply
    • Jeff Young

      February 27, 2015 at 3:09 PM

      Thanks for the comment… and the question! There are actually many different kinds of gumbo, and okra is not necessarily a part of all of them. As a matter of fact, okra was brought to the Americas by the Africans, so an okra gumbo was more Creole than Cajun. Creole cuisine came out of the New Orleans area (the big city), whereas Cajun cuisine came from the more southwest areas of Louisiana (the big country). Cajuns had their own gumbos, made thick with a dark roux. Even today, you see the differences between Cajun & Creole cuisine, most notably by the use of tomatoes in Creole dishes, including gumbo. Shrimp & Okra Gumbo is one of my favorites though. You can find that recipe here: http://cfjwyoung.wpengine.com/a-louisiana-favorite-shrimp-and-okra-gumbo

      Reply
  12. Kari Howell

    September 12, 2015 at 9:19 AM

    Hi, Jeff. I LOVE gumbo. I’m a newbie to making gumbo, though. I’ve only made it twice. The first time was pretty tasty if I must say. 🙂 The second time…not so much. I can’t remember how I made it the first time or what happened the second time (it was two years ago). So I’m starting over again. I found your dry roux post and LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea. I would make gumbo so much more often! With that said, you say in that post to use whatever the recipe calls for: 1 cup roux in recipe = 1 cup dry roux. I’m confused. In the recipe above, you have the ingredients for the roux: 1 cup butter, 1 cup flour. So…does that translate into 2 cups of roux or 1 cup? Could you help me understand how best to apply measurements for that dry roux? I’ll also post the question on that post for the benefit of others.

    Reply
  13. EH

    December 24, 2017 at 3:13 PM

    When do you add the green onions and parsley? When you add the other vegetables or with the chicken? Or is it only added to the bowls when you serve or just made available for individuals to add to there own? The ingredient list implies that it will be used in addition to being made available to Diner’s but it is unclear. Thanks!

    Reply

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  1. Lebanese Stuffed Bell Peppers with Labneh - CATHOLIC FEAST - Every day is a Celebration says:
    August 4, 2013 at 3:45 PM

    […] eat them if they were cooked down until they were soft and had virtually no texture. Like in a gumbo, for example. It’s impossible to escape the …read […]

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About The Catholic Foodie

Jeff Young, perhaps better known as The Catholic Foodie, is an author, blogger, radio host and podcaster. He is the founder and producer of The Catholic Foodie blog and podcast where he provides "Catholic culinary inspiration to help you grow in faith around the table." Jeff hosts a daily radio show – The Catholic Foodie Show – on BreadboxMedia.com, and he co-hosts the Around the Table Food Show on Catholic Community Radio 690AM (New Orleans) and 1380AM (Baton Rouge). Jeff is a monthly contributor to CatholicMom.com and a contributing author of Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary, published by Ave Maria Press. Jeff is also a contributing author of The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections by Ave Maria Press. Jeff Young is a proud member of the elite Catholic Speakers Organization, CMG Booking. Jeff has spoken on topics ranging from "growing in faith around the table" to "using social media in the New Evangelization." Jeff's first book, Around the Table with The Catholic Foodie: Middle Eastern Cuisine, published by Liguori Publications is now available. With 78 recipes and stories of faith and family (including his travels to the Holy Land), the book is sure to inspire you to get into the kitchen and to gather your family around the table. The book is available on Amazon.com, Liguori.org, and wherever good Catholic books are sold. Read More…

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