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Seafood Gumbo

Delicious Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

The best Seafood Gumbo! Rich and absolutely delicious, full of flavors from Louisiana.
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Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: cajun, creole, louisiana
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Gumbo
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 3-6 blue crabs
  • 1 lb spicy smoked sausage links, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup sliced fresh okra ( leave out if you some that don't like okra)
  • 3 qts Basic Seafood Stock
Basic Creole Spices
  • 2 tbsp celery salt
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsps cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
For the Basic Louisiana White Rice
  • 1 tbsp chicken fat, extra-virgin olive oil, or butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-2 pinches salt

Method
 

For the Basic Creole Spices
    Using this spice blend is truly the easiest way to consistently achieve the flavors of Louisiana. Once combined, the spices will last for six months in an airtight container. (this recipe is for several dishes, you'll just add in "pinches" to this recipe until you get your desired flavor.
      For the Basic Louisiana White Rice
      1. The recipe will work with most long-grain rices, including Popcorn Rice. Save some of the fat skimmed from your chicken stock to perfume the rice with many wonderful flavors.
        Put the fat, oil, or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.
        Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve
      For the Gumbo
      1.  Prepare shrimp stock, if using (recipe below. 
        Prepare homemade Basic Creole Spices, if using (recipe below). 
        Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, diced, chopped, minced and ready to go before beginning the roux. You must stand at the stove and stir the roux continuously to prevent it from burning. 
        In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the lard or beef tallow over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil – it will start to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate, and continue whisking until the roux becomes deep brown in color, about 15 minutes. 
        Add the onions. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the onions into the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until the roux becomes a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes. 
        Add the blue crabs and smoked sausage and stir for a minute before adding the celery, bell peppers, garlic, and okra. Increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.  Add the thyme, shellfish stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, skimming off the fat from the surface of the gumbo every so often. Add the shrimp, oysters, crabmeat and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Make sure everything is ready to serve before adding the shellfish to the gumbo. DO NOT OVERCOOK your shellfish. 
        Season with salt and pepper, Creole Spices, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Serve in bowls over the rice.