Seafood Gumbo
User Reviews
4.4
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
323 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Cajun
Seafood Gumbo
Description
Seafood Gumbo starts with a substantial 2 cups of dark roux that gives the dish its characteristic depth and thickness. The main ingredients include peeled shrimp, crab meat and claws, and fresh shucked oysters with their brine, combined over a base of sautéed yellow onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic cooked until softened. Chicken or seafood stock and water form the cooking liquid, seasoned carefully with kosher salt and salt-free Creole seasoning to enhance without overwhelming the seafood flavors. The gumbo simmers after adding the roux, allowing the roux to fully incorporate and the flavors to meld.
The stew provides a hearty texture with the roux adding a velvety mouthfeel, balanced by the tender, flaky seafood and softened vegetables. This dish is typically served hot, benefiting from the robust seafood flavors and the subtle heat from Creole seasonings. It makes a filling meal, often accompanied by rice or crusty bread.
Notes highlight the importance of fresh seafood quality and offer substitutions if certain seafood is unavailable. For preparing ahead, the gumbo base (without seafood) can be cooked and chilled, then seafood added and served freshly cooked when needed. Fresh or well-sourced frozen seafood is recommended, and regional seafood specialty shops or online vendors can be good sources if local options are limited.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil flavorless
- 3 yellow onion about 3 ½ cups chopped, large
- 5-6 celery about 2 ¼ cups chopped, stalks
- 3-4 bell pepper about 2 ½ cups chopped, large
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 cup chicken stock or seafood stock
- 4 qts. water (1 gallon)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Salt-Free Creole Seasoning
- black pepper to taste
- 16 oz. roux 2 cups, dark
- 2 lbs. Shrimp peeled
- 1 lb. crab meat clawmeat
- ½ lb. crab claws
- 1 lb. oyster fresh shucked, plus brine
Garnishes
- green onions chopped
- parsley chopped
- Gumbo file
Instructions
- Make a dark roux, if you’re making one, and set it aside. (You need 16 oz. or 2 cups of roux to make this recipe. If you are going to make your own roux, please read how to make a dark roux.)
- Prep the ingredients. This means chop the veggies. Peel your shrimp. Measure out your water and stock. Find a pot large enough. (It needs to fit 17 cups liquid plus 4 ½ lbs. seafood.)
- Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in your gumbo pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped veggies. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the liquid. Pour in the water and the stock, and bring to a boil. You can turn up the heat to high at this point, but it’s still going to take 15-20 minutes or so to bring this amount of liquid to a boil.
- Season the liquid with salt and salt-free Creole seasoning.
- Add the roux. When the liquid has reached a rolling boil, measure in the roux, stirring consistently to help the mixture break down into the boiling water.
- Simmer for at least 30 minutes. You can simmer it for longer if you so desire to let the flavors meld.
- Twenty minutes before serving, add the shrimp to the gumbo liquid.
- Fifteen minutes before serving, add in the oyster and crab, stirring occasionally to cook. It is important to add the seafood at the very end so that it doesn’t overcook and get tough!
- Give the gumbo a taste, and add extra seasonings, if necessary.
- Serve immediately with rice and your favorite garnishes.
Notes
- Use fresh or high-quality frozen seafood rather than imitation or canned products to ensure the best flavor and texture.
- If you cannot find all seafood types, adjust by increasing the others proportionally to maintain volume and balance.
- This recipe is pricier due to quality seafood and best saved for special occasions.
- For make-ahead, cook the base up to the roux incorporation, chill overnight, then add seafood just before serving and cook until done.
- Seafood can be sourced at high-end grocery fish counters, specialty seafood shops, or online fresh or frozen vendors.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 323 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 323kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Cholesterol | 279mg | 93% |
| Sodium | 1886mg | 79% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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