Husband’s Grandmother’s Shrimp Gumbo

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Description

My husband’s grandmother taught me this recipe. She actually cooked for Cajun festivals. She used 40-gallon trash cans for her stock pots. People would line up for this authentic Cajun specialty. This recipe serves eight but multiplies well. Serve gumbo over cooked white rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound smoked sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • ¼ pound bacon, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped okra
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • ⅔ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • ⅔ cup finely chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 cups water
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat
  2. discard the fat in the skillet
  3. and drain the sausage slices on paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Set the sausage aside. Cook and stir the chopped bacon in the skillet until crisp
  4. 6 to 8 minutes
  5. remove the bacon
  6. and set aside. Stir the okra into the hot bacon drippings
  7. and cook and stir until the okra is tender
  8. about 5 minutes. Drain the okra in a colander
  9. and discard bacon drippings.
  10. Place the okra and diced tomatoes in a saucepan over medium heat
  11. and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low
  12. and simmer the okra mixture for about 10 minutes.
  13. In a large soup pot
  14. melt the butter over medium heat
  15. and cook and stir the onion
  16. green onions
  17. green pepper
  18. celery
  19. parsley
  20. and garlic until the onion begins to turn brown
  21. about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables but leave the butter in the pot. Stir in the flour
  22. reduce heat to low
  23. and cook the roux
  24. stirring constantly
  25. until it turns the color of milk chocolate
  26. 30 to 45 minutes. Do not let the roux burn.
  27. When the roux reaches its correct color
  28. whisk in 2 cups of water. Raise the heat to medium; stir in salt
  29. pepper
  30. cayenne pepper
  31. thyme
  32. and bay leaves
  33. bring the mixture to a boil
  34. and stir in the sausage
  35. bacon
  36. okra-tomato mixture
  37. and 6 more cups of water. Reduce heat to medium-low
  38. and simmer the gumbo
  39. stirring occasionally
  40. until the soup has thickened and the flavors are blended
  41. about 45 minutes. Stir in the shrimp
  42. and simmer until they turn pink and opaque
  43. 6 to 8 more minutes. Discard bay leaves and adjust the seasonings
  44. if desired
  45. before serving.

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs 15 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs

Servings: 12

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