Gumbo City

Making a dark roux for gumgo can be the toughest part of the whole process. So here is a tip for the perfect unburnt roux.

Mix your fat and flour in the castiron pot that you are going to make the gumbo in and place it in a 375 deg oven. Should take about an hour and the cooking process is a lot slower and even. Now it may not be traditional but if you have stood over the stove sturring a roux for 45 minutes only to have it burn in the last 30 seconds you’ll understand.

Got to use cast iron though so the heat is even.

So i was watching a show last night about gumbo and i learned or I should say remembered some facts that i have failed to pass on here at Gumbo City.

For instance there is a trade off when making a Roux. As your Roux gets darker it get more flavor right up till the time you burn it. But as a roux gets darker it also losses its thickining power. So there is a trade here but there are other ways to thicken up your gumbo.

Ingredients

1 cup Oil or Butter

1 cup all purpose white flour

Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron pot and add oil. Once oil is heated, slowly add the flour, stirring constantly until all is blended. Continue to cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until flour and oil blend to form a brown roux the color of a dark copper penny. The longer you cook it, the darker the roux will become. Remember don’t rush the cooking of the roux; allow the mixture to develop at its own pace. Transfer to cooking pot and add warm water to hot roux for thickness desired.

The mixture will make 5 quarts gumbo juice or one large fricassee dish. Many cooks add onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture right at the end of the cooking process. This spreads the flavor through out the roux. You can double or triple the recipe and store the unused roux in a covered container in your icebox for weeks to be used for future dishes.

Gumbo Roux can be used to flavor or thicken gravies. A dish made with roux always taste better the next day or if frozen the next time it is reheated. If you push the gumbo roux too far or burn the roux, the flavor becomes too bitter to use. Throw out and start a new batch of gumbo roux again.