Don't knock it until you've tried it, my friend. I, too, scoffed at the notion, but was open minded enough to give it a shot. Now oysters go in at the end of all my gumbos including duck, chicken and goose. By the way, Oysters are not "fishy". I had a cup of duck and andouille gumbo at Prejeans in Lafayette yesterday and it was very good.
my old DS made a gumbo when we were stuck in the middle of nowhere... was chicken gizzard and livers and was the best thing ever.....but of course hadnt eaten in a day and it was freezing. and yes, the oysters arent fishy but some ppl add the juice with it that makes it that way. still waiting for some recipes to see what different ways people cook their gumbos.
I always add the liquid from the oysters if I have them to any kind of gumbo. I don't find the taste fishy at all but maybe some people might if they just use water instead of making a stock. For seafood gumbo I always make a stock from the shrimp heads. For chicken gumbo I make a chicken stock. Oyster liquid might overpower plain water but it blends nicely with a good stock.
yeah but for ppl who dont like raw oysters (like me)...its very noticeable . kinda like raw onions on a burger. even if u remove em it tastes that way. ruins it for me.
After 15 minutes in a simmering pot of gumbo, the oysters ain't raw. I have 5 quarts of shrimp stock in my freezer as we speak. Briefly, my recipe: Season/marinate cut up chicken with Tony's, black pepper and a little bit of vinegar. Brown the chicken (hen is a thousand times better than fryer) and fresh (unsmoked) sausage (my favorite is a good jalapeno sausage) in a black iron pot and drain on newspaper or paper towels. Cut the sausage into serving size pieces after it cools. Make a roux using the oil and drippings from the browned meat. Reserve the roux. Boil water/and or chicken stock (I fill to about 1/3) in your gumbo pot. Add copious amounts of onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic (whatever suits you) when water is at a full boil. Cook for at least 20 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add roux (Grandma said you add roux to water for gumbo and water to roux for a fricassee), stirring until you get a consistency that you like. I prefer a thicker gumbo so I add more than others might. Remember. You can always add roux but you can't take it out. Add seasonings (I use Tony's and a little bit of Cajun Power Garlic Sauce) Let simmer for at least an hour to ensure that the flour taste is cooked out of the roux. The longer the better. Check often, stirring and adding liquid to maintain your consistency. Add meat to the pot, again stirring occasionally. Let the meat cook (covering will speed up the process but I prefer to leave uncovered). When you can pick meat off the drumstick with a fork, it's done. Lower heat to low or med low, skim off excess oil then add 1 pint oysters (optional but this is my recipe) with liquor and onion tops. Serve with rice and baked sweet potatoes. Shortcuts: Brown meat in the oven while boiling the water and use storebought roux. Use fryers if you're really in a hurry. Pre-chopped vegetables, available now at most supermarkets, is a godsend.
Shortcuts: Brown meat in the oven while boiling the water and use storebought roux. Use fryers if you're really in a hurry. Pre-chopped vegetables, available now at most supermarkets, is a godsend. Chit!!! try finding roux and pre chopped vegetables in delaware, impossible. had to get my mom to ship tony's, cayenne, and roux. the grocery store wants $3.99 for a 1 ounce jar of cayenne, nearly crapped my pants.
yeah i know but the added juice gives it that fishy taste which is the same thing for me. interesting. I prefer the bones removed from a gumbo though after it is cooked, of course. Do you add any ground sassafras leaves? :thumb: :thumb: Also, many of my relatives like to add some homemade potato salad in their gumbo....not me. plus, I like mine more soupy not thick. now im hungry.... I ate one made with some store-bought roux and frozen onions/etc and it was really good. Cheap sausage works but it sure aint the same.
