Question on cooking gumbo

So I'm making gumbo for the tailgate this weekend. The biggest problem I have when making gumbo is judging how much roux to start with. I usually end up with too much and need to keep adding water or stock to thin it out and thereby diluting the gumbo.

So I was thinking of doing like this.

• First make a bunch of roux and set it aside.
• Then brown all the meat
• Add the veggies and saute
• Add the desired amount of stock and simmer
• Then, add roux until the desired thickness is achieved

Does anyone do it like this?
Any reason why this would not work or not taste as good?

 

That would work. Here's the rule: You can always add roux but you can't remove roux.

 

I've never done it that way but I don't see why it wouldn't work OK
Try it ad find out.

 

Thats how my wife does it.

 

Thanks everyone. I'll give it a try and report back. I just didn't know if there was some element that would be missed by not starting in the roux.

 

If I'm lazy or in a hurry, I'll boil the vegetables and then add the roux while the meat browns in the oven.

 

On one of those cold, gray days at the camp, you brown your meat, then make roux using the drippings. Add vegetables and a little water and simmer slowly while slowly adding water as the concoction thickens.

When the concoction has reached a point where the vegetables are indistinguishable, add water or stock and slowly let cook on a low heat for as long as you wish. Eventually you add the meat to the pot and again slowly simmer until the meat is fork tender.

It takes hours but that's what's great about it. The next day, after you sober up, you can even eat some.

 

I always use bacon fat to make the roux

 

I'm always wary of bacon fat. I used it once to make a Cowboy Stew and the dogs wouldn't even eat it.