The best chicken and sausage gumbo I have ever eaten was made by a chef seeking refuge from hurricane Katrina in my town. Sadly for us, no one in the club kitchen bothered to learn his delicious recipe before he departed. I’m rectifying the problem by recreating that fantastically delicious gumbo.
There are many important ingredients, but none more so than the dark brown roux. Properly made, it contains bittersweet chocolate, mild tobacco and chicory coffee flavors that combined with the holy trinity of vegetables and meats is simply divine.
Let’s Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
The first step is creating an intensely flavored “double strength” chicken stock. This doesn’t mean twice the volume, it means twice the flavor. I do this by simmering a rotisserie chicken and additional vegetables in my standard chicken stock until it falls off the bone. If, and I emphasize “if” you wish, it’s a way to improve store-bought stock in a pinch.
Making Double Strength Chicken Stock
Break apart the rotisserie chicken, surround it with the veggies, cover with chicken stock and simmer until the meat falls off the bone. Strain the “double strength stock” and reserve. When the chicken cools, discard the skin and bones and reserve the meat for the gumbo.
Creating the Roux
This is the finished roux and the secret is using grapeseed oil for the higher smoke point. Follow the recipe instructions and remember, low and slow.
Finishing the Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
The holy trinity of celery, onion and bell pepper, plus garlic.
Coin cut the andouille sausage and sear both sides.
Cook the vegetables in the roux until they soften 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the beer and deglaze the pot, then add the double-strength chicken stock and rest of the seasonings and bay leaves. Low simmer for 2-3 hours and stir frequently to prevent burning.
Gently stir in the reserved chicken and sausage and simmer some more. Add the okra last. Adjust the thickness with water to your desired consistency and the salt and pepper to taste.
Serve alongside white rice and garnish with green onion. Print
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo in Mahogany Roux
Ingredients
Double Strength Chicken Stock
- 2 lb rotisserie chicken
- 1 onion – peeled and quartered
- 1 celery rib – roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 quarts home-made chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Mahogany Roux
- 1 cup grapeseed oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
- All the mahogany roux
- 3 yellow onions – roughly chopped
- 2 ribs celery – finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper – finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1–1/2 lbs andouille sausage -cut on the bias and coined into bite-size pieces
- Reserved chicken from making the double stock – pulled and shredded
- 12 oz pilsner beer
- 2 cups frozen sliced okra
- Cooked white rice – serving
- Crystal hot sauce – serving
- 1 bunch green onions – thinly sliced – garnish
Instructions
Double-Strength Chicken Stock
- Break the rotisserie chicken into pieces, legs, wings, thighs and breasts. Place the entire chicken with the bones and skin, onion, celery, garlic and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover with the home-made chicken stock. Add salt and pepper, cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until the chicken is fall from the bone tender – about 45 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep chicken covered.
- Remove chicken to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool and reserve
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones. Pull the meat into bite-size pieces and reserve
Sausage and Andouille Chicken Gumbo
- Make the double-strength chicken stock first
- Make the roux in a large, heavy bottom dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, reaching every corner of the pot, until the roux begins to take on the color of light chocolate milk.
- Lower the heat to low and continue cooking while stirring constantly until the roux reaches the color of dark mahogany – about 30-45 minutes. The most important thing is to avoid scorching the roux by stirring constantly until you reach the desired color.
- When the roux is ready, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened, 3-4 minutes
- Scrape the mixture to the sides to create a hole in the center. Pour in the beer and deglaze the pot, scraping it with a wooden spoon to get any browned bits and then allow the mixture to regain temperature
- Drizzle in the cooled, reserved chicken stock and then the cayenne pepper while stirring.
- When everything is combined add the bay leaves and bring to a low simmer for 2-3 hours, uncovered, stirring every 20-30 minutes to avoid burning the gumbo
- While simmering cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until seared and browned on both sides. Add it and the reserved chicken to the pot. Stir gently to combine
- Simmer one more hour until thickened. Adjust with water if it becomes too thick.
- Make a final adjustment with salt and pepper if necessary to taste
- In a large sauce-pan bring water to a boil, add the frozen okra and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the okra in a colander, the stir it into the gumbo to finish cooking – about 5 more minutes
- Serve over or alongside Louisiana white jasmin rice in a shallow bowl
- Garnish with green onion and accompany with hot sauce
Notes
Don’t be tempted to skim the chicken fat or oil off the top of the gumbo, it’s a critical ingredient meant to be stirred in when serving!