Chicken, Ham and Oyster Gumbo
I leave out the oysters and use a rotisserie chicken to give it extra flavor. Notes on making a roux: A roux is used in most Cajun dishes. It is just oil and flour cooked until it browns. The darker the roux, the richer the flavor of the dish. If you burn the roux, just start over. Oil and flour are cheap ingredients to throw out (you should never have to throw out a pot of gumbo because you burnt the roux). Stir the roux constantly. It will reach a point where it will start changing color quickly. One of my cooking teachers said "if you are going to talk on the phone and chase kids, cook it on low; if you constantly stay with it and stir it, you can cook it on medium high."
I leave out the oysters and use a rotisserie chicken to give it extra flavor. Notes on making a roux: A roux is used in most Cajun dishes. It is just oil and flour cooked until it browns. The darker the roux, the richer the flavor of the dish. If you burn the roux, just start over. Oil and flour are cheap ingredients to throw out (you should never have to throw out a pot of gumbo because you burnt the roux). Stir the roux constantly. It will reach a point where it will start changing color quickly. One of my cooking teachers said "if you are going to talk on the phone and chase kids, cook it on low; if you constantly stay with it and stir it, you can cook it on medium high."
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose
- 2 green bell pepper -- chopped
- 2 stalks celery -- diced
- 1 medium onion -- diced
- 2 cloves garlic -- minced
- 16 ounces whole tomatoes and liquid
- 2 cups okra -- sliced
- 3 pounds chicken -- boned
- 1 pound ham -- smoked
- 2 tablespoons parsley -- chopped
- 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
- 1 pint oysters -- shucked
- 3 cups rice -- cooked
- Carbohydrate 0.0952058548850574 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.56548707724498 g
- Fiber 0.0327904445757211 g
- Protein 0.0110046767241379 g
- Saturated Fat 0.190961978708561 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (347g)
- Sodium 10.1634533066012 mg
- Sugar 0.0624154103093363 g
- Trans Fat 0.0338004807963785 g
- Calories 23 calories
Step-by-step
- In a 5-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 minutes until roux turns dark brown and develops a nutty aroma.
- Add green peppers, celery, onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add tomatoes with liquid, okra, water, chicken, ham, parsley, hot pepper sauce, salt and bay leaf.
- Over high heat, heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add oysters, simmer 10 minutes longer.
- Discard bay leaf.
- Serve with cooked rice and additional hot pepper sauce, if desired.
Standard measurements on a recipe card omit the physical reality of controlling starch and fat molecules under sustained heat. Creating a foundational roux requires sustained attention because flour starches can scorch instantly once the Maillard reaction peaks. Achieving deep flavor hinges entirely on how patiently that oil and flour mixture transforms in the pan.
- Maintain medium-high heat only if you commit to continuous stirring with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to prevent hot spots.
- Reduce the burner to low if interruptions occur, extending the total browning window past 30 minutes until the mixture smells distinctly nutty and reaches a dark chocolate hue.
- Discard a burnt roux immediately rather than attempting rescue, as scorched flour imparts an acrid flavor that ruins the entire 5-quart pot of broth.
- Omit the shucked oysters entirely to lower ingredient costs or accommodate shellfish allergies without disrupting the core body of the stew.
- Simmer the uncovered mixture for 45 minutes after adding the smoked ham and chicken, allowing excess water to evaporate and concentrate the remaining savory compounds.
Controlling heat application protects inexpensive pantry staples from waste while building maximum depth. Careful attention during the browning phase separates a brilliant pot of soup from an unusable batch of charcoal.
