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Roux for Gumbo do you like it thick or thin? Login/Join 
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After a recent trip to the French quarter my wife has decided she kind of likes a little Creole. Now I have been making Gumbo for years, but she has never really eats it. I prefer my Gumbo to be thick with tomatoes and normally use chicken and shrimp. For her tastes I add green beans and broccoli. I know this is way off the traditional Gumbo recipes, but everyone is happy. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?
 
Posts: 170 | Registered: March 05, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go Vols!
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Thick but without okra. Okra is meant to be fried.
 
Posts: 17944 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: February 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
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A bit thin or "brothy" is my preference.
 
Posts: 23306 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

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Gumbo is meant to be thick, not thin like a soup.

It's not a soup.

If you use a heavily browned roux as the traditional recipes call for, keep in mind you will need more than a regular blonde roux as the cooking it out cuts the thickening power down significantly.


 
Posts: 34971 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Little ray
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I like almost any kind of gumbo, but I think I'd skip the brocolli and green beans.

I do like the roux very dark for gumbo, and the gumbo to be moderately think. Not gravy thick, but it certainly needs some body.

Yours sounds more like a creole than a true Cajun gumbo, especially with all those tomatoes. There is nothing wrong with that.




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Posts: 53333 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Equal Opportunity Mocker
Picture of slabsides45
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quote:
Originally posted by PASig:
Gumbo is meant to be thick, not thin like a soup.

It's not a soup.

If you use a heavily browned roux as the traditional recipes call for, keep in mind you will need more than a regular blonde roux as the cooking it out cuts the thickening power down significantly.


Listen to the Yankee. You want soup, eat soup. Gumbo ought to have some body to it. Not stand up yer spoon, but slow down it's fall to the side, anyhow. Dark roux.

As for okra, I'm good with it in or out, doesn't matter. Just don't forget the sausage and shrimps. Also, Crystal hot sauce is preferred, if not I guess Louisiana Hot Sauce is a backup plan. Tabasco is required as well. And bread, which I prefer to have toasted with butter, but will eat torn off the loaf where necessary.


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Posts: 6393 | Location: Mogadishu on the Mississippi | Registered: February 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Little ray
of sunshine
Picture of jhe888
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quote:
Originally posted by PASig:
Gumbo is meant to be thick, not thin like a soup.

It's not a soup.

If you use a heavily browned roux as the traditional recipes call for, keep in mind you will need more than a regular blonde roux as the cooking it out cuts the thickening power down significantly.


True, dark rouxs thicken less and flavor more.

File (said "fee-LAY") powder also helps thicken gumbo. It is also a seasoning - it is powdered sassafrass leaves. If you thicken it with file, add it later in the cooking and do not boil the gumbo after the file is added - it will become stringy.

Or you can use okra to further thicken the gumbo.

Most cooks would not use okra and file. One or the other.




The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
 
Posts: 53333 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
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There is a place here in Houston (actually League City) that has AMAZING Gumbo!

Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar
 
Posts: 23306 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Saluki
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Mine is thick probably too thick.


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Posts: 5247 | Location: southern Mn | Registered: February 26, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Peripheral Visionary
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I make the roux really dark, sautee the okra first to reduce how much it thickens, then add filé just before serving to add flavor and reach desired thickness.




 
Posts: 11424 | Location: Texas | Registered: January 29, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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My standard is to cook the roux until it's milk chocolate colored then turn off the heat. Residual heat in the cast iron skillet will darken it even more. Just short of burned is the goal. For a ~4qt pot I'll do 1/2c flour with 1/2c canola or peanut oil. I stir the whole time with a metal spatula to make sure every bit is mixed like squeegeeing the skillet.

Have had problems with roux separating on occasion. Finally learned to heat the roux back up and add onions/garlic to saute before adding the whole thing to the soup pot. That seems to fix it.

Okra
Andouille
Tomatoes
Stock
Bay leaves from the yard
Thyme
Oregano
Shrimp at the end so not rubbery

Sometimes file' (made some so it's a good reason to use it)

Serve with rice and hot sauce
 
Posts: 36 | Location: GA | Registered: June 11, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Captain Obvious
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So coming from someone that grew up in New Orleans, do not put tomatoes in gumbo. Save them for your BLT or po-boy.

As far as answering your question, when I make a gumbo, my roux is basically a paste before putting it in the pot with water and other ingredients.
 
Posts: 3364 | Registered: July 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spread the Disease
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quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Thick but without okra. Okra is meant to be fried.


Agree 100% on both.


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Posts: 17699 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
parati et volentes
Picture of houndawg
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quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Thick but without okra. Okra is meant to be fried.


Without okra it's not gumbo. It's just a soup or stew. Gumbo MUST have okra to be gumbo. The name itself means okra.
 
Posts: 8276 | Location: Illinois, Occupied America | Registered: February 23, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I'm not laughing
WITH you
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Thick, thick, thick!!!!




Rolan Kraps
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Posts: 23581 | Location: Gainesville, GA | Registered: October 11, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Cynic
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Duke's seafood. This is his seafood Louisiana style




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Posts: 13053 | Location: Pride, Louisiana | Registered: August 14, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Cynic
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quote:
Originally posted by sphill:
So coming from someone that grew up in New Orleans, do not put tomatoes in gumbo. Save them for your BLT or po-boy.

As far as answering your question, when I make a gumbo, my roux is basically a paste before putting it in the pot with water and other ingredients.


Yep I don't think I've seen tomatoes in real gumbo.


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And no, junior not being able to hold still for 5 seconds is not a disability.



 
Posts: 13053 | Location: Pride, Louisiana | Registered: August 14, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
parati et volentes
Picture of houndawg
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quote:
Originally posted by charlie12:
quote:
Originally posted by sphill:
So coming from someone that grew up in New Orleans, do not put tomatoes in gumbo. Save them for your BLT or po-boy.

As far as answering your question, when I make a gumbo, my roux is basically a paste before putting it in the pot with water and other ingredients.


Yep I don't think I've seen tomatoes in real gumbo.


Depends on where you are. Gumbo in the southeast has tomatoes in a lot of recipes.
 
Posts: 8276 | Location: Illinois, Occupied America | Registered: February 23, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Cynic
Picture of charlie12
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quote:
Originally posted by houndawg:
quote:
Originally posted by charlie12:
quote:
Originally posted by sphill:
So coming from someone that grew up in New Orleans, do not put tomatoes in gumbo. Save them for your BLT or po-boy.

As far as answering your question, when I make a gumbo, my roux is basically a paste before putting it in the pot with water and other ingredients.


Yep I don't think I've seen tomatoes in real gumbo.


Depends on where you are. Gumbo in the southeast has tomatoes in a lot of recipes.



I'm in south Louisiana Big Grin


_______________________________________________________
And no, junior not being able to hold still for 5 seconds is not a disability.



 
Posts: 13053 | Location: Pride, Louisiana | Registered: August 14, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
thin skin can't win
Picture of Georgeair
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quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Thick but without okra. Okra is meant to be fried.


Yes.

And, of course, you can't make roux in anything other than a heavy cast Dutch oven. Paste, like others have said and you damn well better have some onions and such ready to drop in to stop browning at the end or it will end in a smoking heap.



You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02

 
Posts: 12830 | Location: Madison, MS | Registered: December 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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