Juanita's Creole Gumbo

Pagan's Note:

This recipe is from My mother's very own "Tried and True" recipe book. It's the absolute best gumbo recipe I've ever tasted. I've never had gumbo in any restaurant which could compare with this one. She got it from My "Aunt" Corrita in New Orleans. Also, it's perfect when working a water spell. Be sure to dish up a bowl for the Gods when you use this.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 12 crabs, cleaned, fresh, broken into 4 parts each, with claws cracked (for lack of fresh crab, 1.5 lbs chicken or fish may be substituted)
• 2 lbs raw shrimp, cleaned and peeled (if only shrimp are used, use 5 lbs)
• 1 pint oyster, raw drained (optional)
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes
• 1 cup okra, thinly sliced (optional)
• 5 slices bacon, real pork
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon crab boil, zatarain's
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 garlic cloves

Directions:

1. In a large pot, put 2 cups water, salt [to taste] add crab boil, thyme and peppercorns.
2. Bring to a roiling boil; add crabs and boil for approximately 20 minutes, add tomatoes and okra, and simmer slowly.
3. While this simmers, make the roux.
4. Slice the bacon strips into small pieces and fry.
5. Remove.
6. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the bacon grease.
7. Remove.
8. To bacon drippings, add enough flour to make a thin gravy.
9. Use very low flame, stir continuously, taking care to make it dark brown without burning it.
10. Add bacon and onion& garlic bits back to mixture and heat.
11. Add roux to simmering seafood pot.
12. Stir very well.
13. Add shrimp and simmer approximately 30 minutes.
14. Add oysters and simmer only until edges of oysters curl.
15. It is done, serve over a bed of rice.

Reviews

[ireland_974]

My first attempt at Gumbo! It was a huge hit! Very easy to make. I'm in the midwest, so I had trouble finding crab meat. I did sub chicken breast instead. That worked really well. I did add some sausage sliced and halved. Gave it a little extra kick! Wonderful!!!

[Cookin' Cajun]

A friend emailed me this recipe and I made this last night. I got this membership to say that I would give this 10 stars if I could! This is absolutely the most fantastic gumbo I've ever had in my LIFE! OMGs this is scrumptous! I grew up in Louisianna, and I'm not believing this is even better than my Gram's! I took a bowl of it to her this morning along with this recipe and she even had to admit that it tops her 40-year-old-recipe! (She swears she's not sharing this one with any of the relatives. *LOL*) Way to go, Fiendish_Dramaturgy! Thanks ever so much!