New Orleans Creole Seafood & Sausage Gumbo

This recipe captures the "city-style" gumbo found in New Orleans kitchens. It balances the earthiness of a copper-colored roux with the brightness of tomatoes and the richness of Gulf seafood.

Ingredients

The Base

1 cup All-purpose flour

¾ cup Neutral oil (Vegetable or Canola) or lard

The Holy Trinity:

2 cups Yellow onion, diced

1 cup Celery, diced

1 cup Green bell pepper, diced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

The Liquid & Seasoning

8 cups Seafood stock (shrimp or crab stock is best; chicken stock is a fine substitute)

1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes (with juice)

2-3 tbsp Creole seasoning (e.g., Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dried thyme

3 Bay leaves

Hot sauce (Crystal or Tabasco) to taste

The Proteins & Thickeners

1 lb Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds (or any smoked spicy sausage)

1 lb Fresh okra, sliced (or 16oz frozen)

1 lb Large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb Lump crabmeat or 4-6 gumbo crabs (cleaned blue crabs)

Optional: 1 pint shucked oysters with their liquid

Gumbo Filé powder (for serving)

Instructions

1. Brown the Sausage & Okra

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat. Once browned, remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same fat, sauté the okra for about 8-10 minutes until the "ropiness" (the viscous texture) subsides. Remove the okra and set aside.

2. The Roux (The Most Important Step)

Add the oil to the pot. Once hot, whisk in the flour. Do not walk away. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk over medium-low heat.

For Creole gumbo, aim for a "peanut butter" to "copper" color (about 15-20 minutes). It should be toasty and fragrant but not as dark as the chocolatey Cajun style.

3. Sauté the Trinity

Immediately add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the hot roux. The moisture in the vegetables will stop the roux from darkening further. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

4. Build the Stew

Slowly whisk in your stock, a little at a time, to ensure a smooth consistency. Add the tomatoes, browned sausage, Creole seasoning, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaves.

5. The Long Simmer

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer partially covered for at least 1 to 1.5 hours. Skim off any excess oil that rises to the top. About 30 minutes before finishing, add the sautéed okra back into the pot.

6. The Seafood Finish

Add the shrimp, crab, and oysters (if using). Simmer for just 5-8 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Overcooking seafood makes it rubbery, so this is always the final step.

7. Serving

Discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt or hot sauce. Serve in deep bowls over a scoop of hot white rice.

Note on Filé: Never boil the filé powder. Provide it at the table for guests to sprinkle over their individual bowls; it adds a unique earthy flavor and extra thickness.

Tips for Success

Stock is King: If you have time, boil your shrimp shells with an onion and some celery for 30 minutes to make a quick homemade stock. It transforms the dish.

The Next Day: Like most stews, gumbo is significantly better the next day after the flavors have "married" in the fridge.

Don't Burn the Roux: If you see black specks in your roux, it's burnt. You must throw it out and start over, or the entire gumbo will taste bitter.