Flavorful duck and andouille gumbo recipe with deep smokey undertones, thickened with both okra and file, and complimented with a simple and easy dark oven baked roux.
2cupsdark rouxusing your preferred roux recipe or quick oven baked version
1largeonionchopped
4ribscelerychopped
1largered bell pepperschopped
4clovesgarlicminced
1tablespoonskosher salt
½tablespoonblack pepper
1tablespoonssmoked paprika
1teaspooncayenne pepper
1poundfrozen or fresh okrasliced
14ozcan diced fire roasted tomatoes
1poundandouille sausage
¼cupchopped green onion
¼cupchopped parsley
Instructions
Smoke duck according to manufacturing instructions. Once smoked, remove meat and reserve for gumbo, saving bones for stock. (The smoking may be done a day in advance)
Cover duck bones with water in a 2-gallon stockpot. Add 2 bay leaves plus 2 stems and leaves of all three herbs and simmer for two hours. Strain and reserve stock.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 1 cup of duck fat and 2 cups of flour in a cast iron dutch oven and mix well. Add roux to the oven and bake until you achieve desired color. You may need to check and stir every 15-20 minutes until browned.
Once roux is done place pot on the cooktop (be careful as pot will be quite hot). Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Let simmer until vegetables are almost wilted.
Slowly add stock to the roux, stirring to create a smooth consistency and dissolving the roux fully. Let simmer an hour.
While simmering, cut reserved duck meat and andouille into cubes. Set aside.
Adjust seasoning if needed and add tomatoes, remaining bay leaves, okra, duck meat, andouille, green onion, and parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve hot over rice of choice.
Notes
If you don't have access to duck fat for your roux, feel free to substitute your oil of choice. Vegetable, canola, reserved chicken or bacon grease will all work.
You don't have to smoke the duck leg until it's done. You're not aiming to cook it fully, only to get that smokey flavor. The duck will have plenty of time to finish cooking when added to the gumbo.
The gumbo roux is everything! Use a heavy cast iron skillet for the roux. It holds heat well and will brown evenly. Aim for dark roux to get that rich and classic authentic Louisiana gumbo taste
Make your own chicken stock. Store-bought doesn't offer enough complexity nor depth of flavor
Thickness is achieved via the okra or file. You can use one or the other or both if you're compelled, but generally one is enough. Adjust the amount of each depending on desired thickness
Make gumbo well in advance as it gets better with time.
Choose a very heavy pot, preferably a big cast iron dutch oven when making a large volume of gumbo. Avoid light weight pots as they do not conduct heat evenly causing the need for more frequent stirring to avoid burning ingredients on at the bottom.
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