Big Mista's BBQ Weeknight Gumbo recipe...

Here’s an easy recipe if you have a stocked pantry and freezer. You did stock your pantry and freezer like I told you in my earlier posts, right? (If you didn’t go back and read those posts right now. I’ll wait. Really. Go read them. *tapping foot* You’re back already? Let’s continue.)

Gumbo is one of those dishes that most people think you only get once a year because it takes hours to make. Wrong. I’m going to clear up the “mystery” of Gumbo right now.

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced (these get a lot of miles in my kitchen)
1 lb polish sausage or hot links, sliced
1 1/2 lbs shrimp (I used frozen pre cooked shrimp to save time)
1 cup + 1tbsp cooking oil
1 cup flour
2 quarts chicken stock or broth (In a pinch you can use chicken buillion and water)
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp red pepper (I like it spicy. You can cut back on this if you like but you do need some.)
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp Gumbo Filé (Should be in the spice section or the “ethnic” section)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper,chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a hot dutch oven or stock pot. Saute the chicken in the pot until just done. Remove chicken and all dripping. Add the sausage and cook until the slices start to get a little crispy on the outside. Remove the sausage but leave the drippings. Add the onions to the pot and saute in the sausage drippings. Remove the onion but leave the drippings.

Now we make the roux. Roux is basically flour cooked in oil it is essential to Gumbo and other Cajun and Creole dishes. Add the 1 cup of oil. When it is hot, lower the heat to medium-low and slowly sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. When all of the flour is in, keep cooking until the roux get to the desired color. For this particular Gumbo, I went with a blonde color. The lighter the roux, the more thickening power it has. Darker roux add more of a nuttier flavor.

When the roux reaches the color you like, add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Continue stirring. Next add the chicken stock or broth. Mix well. Next, add everything that is left except the shrimp, the Filé and the rice. Stir and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Start cooking your rice now.

When the rice is almost done, add the shrimp and the Filé. Stir. Two minutes should cook the shrimp. Serve in a bowl with rice. Eat.

Now you have Gumbo as often as you like! Impress you friends and family.

Enjoy!