Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

When I turned 50, I treated myself to cooking lessons at the New Orleans School of Cooking. It was hands down one of the coolest things I have ever done! A while back, I showed you how easy it is to make a NOLA specialty - pralines. Today I'm showcasing gumbo. 

You might not believe me, but I never really cared for gumbo...at least not until I learned to make it myself. It always tasted bland and dirty to me. Not sure why, because the recipe I'm about to show you has PLENTY of flavor. Here we go!

This post will be less of a recipe and more of a process. I don't really use a recipe anymore, and there are a lot out there that you can find. You can substitute shrimp, or change up the kind of sausage. It's really up to you!

First of all, don't substitute. If you're going to make gumbo, make it right. Take the time and use the classic ingredients. (That being said, I do use a couple of short cuts that I think work OK. More on that later.)

I sent my kids to Walmart to get me some lard. I had checked my Walmart app, and according to it, my store had one pound blocks of lard. My kids, being the over-achievers they are, bought me a four pound tub! I thought I'd never use it all...It was gone in six months. That's how often I'm making gumbo these days!

Begin by melting your lard, then add your flour. Be sure to use a heavy bottom pan to keep it from scorching.

A roux is hard work. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

You have to keep stirring.

And stirring...

And stirring!

You want to take it almost to the point of burning...ALMOST! Make sure you have your veggies diced and ready to go. (Onions, bell pepper, and celery are the traditional ones you use in Cajun cooking.) When you find your roux at the perfect point, dump in half your veggies and stir. The cooler temp and the water in the vegetables will stop the roux from cooking.

While my veggies are cooking, I prep my other ingredients. I diced this sausage...

and to make things really easy, I used this precooked frozen chicken I keep on hand for salads. I just let it defrost.

I removed my veggies and roux and wiped down my pan. I added a tablespoon of EVOO and sauteed the sausage over medium heat.

Then I tossed in the chicken and got a little color on it.

Finally I added the uncooked half of my chopped veggies.

I learned about this seasoning when I took classes at NOLA SOC. I bought a couple of bottles and brought them home. We use it on everything - shrimp, chicken, burgers. It adds so much flavor without adding too much heat or sodium. I have since reordered it online, and I keep it on hand!

Here's another ingredient I learned about at the cooking school. This is thinly sliced dehydrated garlic. This adds a subtle, sweeter flavor than minced garlic. 

I added a handful.

I also added a healthy palmful of the Joe's Stuff seasoning and about three bay leaves. (Everyone around here knows not to eat them if they end up in your bowl!)

Next I added about 6 cups of chicken broth. As I have told you before, I keep Better Than Broth on hand at all times - chicken and beef. It lasts forever in the fridge, and it takes up so much less space than boxed or canned broth. Plus, I can adjust how strong or weak I want my broth. (I make it a little stronger than called for.)

Mix it all back into the big Dutch oven (except for the sausage and chicken). Use a whisk to stir it to make sure you don't have any lumps. I add the sausage and chicken about 10 minutes before serving. I found that the sausage stays juicier that way.

Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover. I like to let it simmer for about an hour. Stir often and use a roux spoon (flat on the bottom) to make sure it isn't sticking.

This is rich stuff! I often serve it in a coffee cup or small bowl with a little bit of sticky white rice on top. I like a little chopped green onion on mine. Isn't that beautiful? It takes on a shiny lacquered appearance. So rich and thick and beautiful! I LOVE gumbo now. In fact, I like mine so much I don't bother ordering it in a restaurant. At least not one outside of NOLA! It takes a little time and a close eye, but it is so worth it! (And it's even better the next couple of days...if it lasts that long!) Man...now I'm hungry for gumbo...