The weekend forecast called for cool weather, and I immediately knew it was gumbo time. I often make chili during the first cool weekends of fall, but gumbo feels more special — a hands-on, patient process that rewards careful attention. Making the roux is the heart of the dish: you brown butter and flour until it becomes a deep, coppery color. Leave it a minute too long and it will scorch, so you have to watch it closely.
This particular weekend was also a big college football rivalry: Alabama vs. Florida. We were heading to Gainesville for the game, and since it was an away trip I called family to ask if I could bring a pot of gumbo to share while we watched. Of course they welcomed it. Between the game and the gumbo, it was the perfect weekend.
I’ve used my grandmother’s Gulf Coast gumbo recipe many times; it seems to improve with each batch. Below is the recipe and method I follow, adapted for a large stockpot.
Gulf Coast Gumbo
- You will need a large stock pot, at least 5 quarts.
- Prep time: 15 minutes.
- Cook time: about 2.5 hours, including the roux.
- Serve over rice.
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
- 1/4 cup flour (self-rising or plain)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 bag frozen chopped okra
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with liquid, or 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 green tomato, chopped (optional)
- 4–5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- Crab boil seasoning pouch
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled
- 1 lb crabmeat or 2 cans crabmeat
- 1/2 lb link sausage (I use Andouille)
- 1 tablespoon gumbo filé powder
- Hot sauce to taste (I use about 5 dashes for a milder heat)
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Roux
A roux — a mix of fat and flour — gives gumbo its flavor and thickness. Aim for a dark brown, copper color similar to a penny, but avoid scorching. This is the most critical step.
- Chop the onion, celery, and bell pepper first. When you make the roux you need to stay close by, so chop the vegetables before you heat the pot.
- In your stockpot, melt 1 stick of butter over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is a dark brown or copper color but not burned.
- Once the roux reaches the desired color, add the chopped bell pepper, onion, celery, and crushed garlic. Stir quickly — the vegetables will slow the browning and begin to cook. After about a minute, add half a bag of frozen chopped okra and stir to combine.
- Add the can of tomatoes (with their liquid), the crab boil pouch, chicken broth, chopped sausage, and 2 bay leaves. Stir everything together.
- Simmer the mixture for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not add the seafood yet.
- After simmering, add the shrimp and crabmeat, stir gently, and then add the filé powder. To prevent clumping, scoop a small amount of the gumbo into a bowl, whisk in the filé powder until smooth, then return it to the pot. Add hot sauce to taste and stir.
Let the gumbo cook another 10–15 minutes so the filé can thicken the broth slightly. Remove the bay leaves and the crab boil pouch. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and hot sauce as needed.
Serve the gumbo ladled over hot cooked rice and garnish with chopped green onions for freshness and color.
That weekend Alabama won 38–10, which somehow made the gumbo taste even better.