Venison Gumbo
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
10 people
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Calories
475 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
Cajun
Venison Gumbo
Description
This recipe for Venison Gumbo starts with a long, careful process of making a dark roux by whisking peanut oil and flour until it reaches a chocolate-brown color without burning. Vegetables such as green pepper, onion, celery, and garlic are cooked into this roux to build a savory base. A mixture of paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, celery seed, and black pepper seasons the broth.
The slow stirring in of game stock and addition of venison and andouille sausage creates a rich, spicy stew. Simmering develops deep flavors and tenderizes the meat. The final touch of filé powder—a ground sassafras leaf spice—adds earthiness and thickens the gumbo. If filé isn’t available, okra is a suggested substitute.
Venison Gumbo serves well as a main meal, showcasing distinctive game meat flavors combined with traditional gumbo seasoning and texture. The presence of filé powder or okra is a defining characteristic of this dish’s regional style.
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut oil lard or bacon fat
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 green pepper large minced
- 2 onion medium minced
- 4 celery stalk minced
- 6 garlic minced cloves
- 3 to 4 pounds venison or other game meats
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons paprika sweet
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 3 quarts game stock chicken stock or water
- 1 pound andouille sausage cut into rings, smoked
- 2 tablespoons file powder
- 2 green onion 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, per person
- 2 parsley 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, per person
Instructions
- Bring the stock to a gentle simmer.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, add the cup of oil to the pot, and turn the heat to medium-high. Whisk in the flour, and stir this frequently until it turns the color of chocolate. You can go as dark as dark chocolate brown, but under no circumstances can you let this roux burn. Keep in mind that this takes time, maybe 15 to 25 minutes of frequent stirring.
- When the roux is ready, add the peppers, onions, celery and garlic and stir to combine. Cook this, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the veggies are soft.
- Meanwhile, mix all the dry spices together except the filé powder.
- When the veggies are soft, ladle in the stock with one hand while stirring with the other. Stir in each ladle of stock before adding another. Turn the heat to high to bring the gumbo to a strong simmer.
- Add half the spices, stir to combine, and add the meats except the sausage, if using. Taste and add more salt or spices if you want. Drop the heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for at least 90 minutes, but probably more like 2 to 3 hours. Check the status of the meats every half-hour after 90 minutes have elapsed. When the meats are about falling off the bone, fish them out and when they cool enough to handle them, pick the meat off the bones. Return the meats to the gumbo and add the andouille. Cook for another 15 minutes or so.
- Add the filé powder, the green onions and parsley. Cook for 3 minutes more. Serve with rice or all by itself.
Notes
- Filé powder (ground sassafras) adds an essential flavor and thickening to the gumbo and should be added at the end if available.
- If filé powder is not on hand, up to one pound of okra cut into slices can be added as a substitute.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 475 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 475kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 37g | 57% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 497mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 531mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 885IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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