Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients (~6 servings)

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ~2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced into half moons
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped celery (~3 stalks)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp file powder

Making Dark Roux

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, mix together the vegetable oil and flour.

Stir continuously with a wooden spoon for about 45 to 60 minutes, as the mixture will gradually transform from a blonde color to a deep, rich chocolate brown.

You must maintain constant vigilance when making dark roux, or you’ll end up with burnt roux and need to throw it away and start another batch.

The ideal color is a shade of brown that’s darker than peanut butter but not yet completely black. After you’ve achieved this desirable deep brown color, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

If you plan to prepare this roux ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator inside an airtight container for up to one week.

How to Brown Your Meat

Using 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, heat in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat.

When the vegetable oil has heated through, add sausage pieces and cook until browned with good color on all sides (roughly 5–6 minutes); using a slotted spoon, remove from pot and set aside.

Using the remaining vegetable oil, brown the chicken pieces until done but still juicy; at the same time, sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the top of the chicken. You will want to have several sides of your chicken pieces browned, which should take approximately 6 to 8 minutes total.

Once you reach this color, remove chicken from pot using a slotted spoon and set aside with the sausage.

Cook the Holy Trinity

Once you remove all the meat, pour out any remaining oil still in the pot; after you pour out most of the remaining grease, return the pot to heat. Add your onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot.

Sauté until vegetables become soft and onions turn translucent — this process will take approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

You should notice a slight amount of dark fond beginning to lift from the bottom of the pot and mingle with the juices from the meat — that’s the flavor you want to bring into contact with your vegetables.

Building Your Gumbo

Return the sausage and chicken back into the pot with the cooked vegetables.

Spoon the cooled roux over everything in the pot, then mix until everything is coated evenly. Allow this mixture to warm up for approximately 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.

While stirring, slowly add the chicken stock until no lumps remain; at this time, add the bay leaves and cayenne pepper.

Lastly, taste for seasoning; I would recommend starting with one teaspoon of salt and adjusting from there.

Long Cooking Process

After you have placed all of the above back into the Dutch oven and brought the mixture to a boil, turn the heat down to maintain a continuous simmer; you will need to stir from time to time to prevent sticking.

The cooking process will take approximately 2–3 hours. You will notice the gumbo become thicker and deeper in flavor during cooking.

About 30 minutes prior to serving, whisk in the filé powder; this will make your gumbo even thicker and provide the signature flavor brought from the earth.

When serving over rice, remove the bay leaves first.

The flavor of the gumbo will improve with time; therefore, it is best enjoyed after its first night of cooling.