Authentic Cajun Turkey Gumbo

Trinkets's Note:

In our house this is the only thing we do with leftover turkey! Serve over rice and with hot corn bread. This is our all-time favorite gumbo recipe from La Bonne Cuisine Cookbook from New Orleans. After cooking this for more than 25 years, we now ad-lib, I throw all the leftover turkey in, cover with water and go from there. But, for those of you who have never made a gumbo, it helps to follow the recipe a few times. This recipe is very tried and true, you will create an out of this world gumbo! *Just be careful to NOT burn the roux. You must stir constantly. Plan on having someone else answer the phone, you can’t do both. I am from New Orleans and have had my share of gumbo, believe you-me! This one is the best!

• Total Time: 5 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 1 turkey carcass
• 2 turkey legs (or thighs)
• 1/2 cup bacon grease
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup flour
• 8 celery ribs
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 lb okra, sliced (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup smoked sausage, sliced
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce
• 12 ounces tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 4 slices bacon, slices cut into 1 pieces
• 1 -2 bay leaf
• cayenne
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Crack the turkey carcass into several pieces.
2. Place the turkey carcass and legs into a large soup kettle with 3 qts of water and 1 tsp salt.
3. Boil for one hour.
4. Remove the carcass and legs and cool.
5. Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones.
6. Reserve the stock and the meat.
7. In a heavy Dutch pven over medium heat, heat the grease and the oil.
8. Add the flour, stirring constantly, and cook until it turns a deep, mahogany brown.
9. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley.
10. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly.
11. Add the okra and sausage and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
12. Add 2 qts of water, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, tomatoes, salt, bacon, bay leaves, and cayenne.
13. Simmer, covered, for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
14. Add the turkey meat and simmer for 30 minutes.
15. Just before serving, add the brown sugar and lemon juice.

Reviews

[Chef #1449531]

AWESOME RECIPE! Followed this recipe for our Thanksgiving leftover turkey. It was so good that we made another pot just to freeze. Thanks!

[Gone Fishin']

THis is not a rating but a reply to the previous comment. Forever my mother, who was born and raised in New Orleans, made Turkey Gumbo just like this. My Grandmothers, also born and raised in New Orleans made their Seafood Gumbo similarly.

[asimplegirl]

Wherever you got this recipe is using the wrong terminology. Cajuns do not use tomatoes in their gumbo, creoles do. We do not use okra in it either, that's also creole. We don't use bacon or brown sugar, either- I have never even heard of that, and I was born and raised in Louisiana on REAL gumbo.