Seafood Gumbo
Classic South Louisiana cuisine. Start with a dark roux and a rich seafood stock, then add crab, oysters and shrimp! The King of Gumbos.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup AP flour
- 2 cups yellow onions - chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper - chopped
- 1 cup celery - chopped
- 6 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1 cup okra - chopped
- 1 bunch green onions - chopped
- ½ cup parsley - chopped
- 8 cups seafood stock
Seafood
- 2 pounds shrimp
- 1 pound lump crabmeat
- 3 gumbo crabs
- 1 pint oysters
Herb and Spice Blend
- 2 teaspoon dry oregano
- 2 teaspoon dry basil
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning - plus some for the seafood
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne - optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 bay leaves
Here's What You Do
- Peel, devein, and rinse the shrimp. Pat dry, and sprinkle with Creole seasoning; set aside. Cut the gumbo crabs in half (head to toe) and sprinkle with creole seasonings, set aside. Chop and measure the remaining ingredients before you start cooking.
- Place the seafood stock in a large stockpot and set the heat to low.
- Place a cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and allow it to become very hot.
- Sprinkle the AP flour into the oil and whisk constantly to make a smooth dark roux. About 10 minutes
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the trinity (yellow onions, bell peppers and celery) to the roux and stir to combine. Once combined, return the Dutch oven to medium heat and stir regualrly until it starts to caramelize about 15 minutes.
- Add the okra and saute another 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and about half of the Herb and Spice Blend, mix well until you can smell the garlic, about 3 minutes,
- Add the green onions and saute another 5 minutes.
- While that is simmering, bring the stock to a heavy boil in the stockpot.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, desolve the roux mixture into the rapidly boiling stock, one spoonful at a time. Stir each spoonful until it is fully incorporated into the stock before repeating the process.
- When all of the roux-mixture has been incorporated into the stock, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a steady, low boil for about 10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to a low simmer. Cover the stockpot and maintain a low simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cover and add the gumbo crabs and stir well. Replace the cover and simmer another 15 minutes.
- Increase the heat to a medium boil. Add the oysters with their juice, the lump crab meat and the shrimp. These should all be added by hand, a little at a time allowing the gumbo to return to a boil between additions.
- Once all the seafood has been added, continue to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the gumbo from the heat. Serve with cooked white rice.
Notes
For a more detailed explanation of the process, read my Seafood Gumbo article. If you have questions or comments, leave them below.
Serve Gumbo like soup, in a bowl. Gumbo is generally served with cooked, white rice, either over, under, or alongside the gumbo.
“Gumbo crabs” are hard-shell crabs with the top shell removed and the cavity with the gills cleaned out with legs and claws attached. used for seasoning in.
Use fresh or frozen shrimp, small to medium-sized
Lump or jumbo lump crab meat are my favorites, but backfin and claw meat work in this recipe.
Commercial stock can be substituted for homemade.
Leftovers can be refrigerated gumbo for about 3 or 4 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months. Store in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge, reheat in a saucepan.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 2117mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1135IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 277mg | Iron: 4mg
