Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

susan's famous gumbo

Recipe by
Susan Feliciano
Oak Ridge, TN

I've been working on this recipe for many years, and finally decided to commit it to paper. Normally it's a "toss in this 'n that" as-you-go recipe. But it turned out so well this time, I've been asked to share it. Hope you like it.

yield 8 or more
prep time 30 Min
cook time 2 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For susan's famous gumbo

  • 1/2 c
    butter
  • 1/2 c
    all purpose flour
  • 1 md
    onion, chopped
  • 2 stalk
    celery, chopped
  • 1
    green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1
    red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 14 oz
    andouille sausage, sliced
  • 12 oz
    chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
  • 2 c
    water or broth
  • 14 oz
    can tomato puree
  • 1 tsp
    tony chachere's creole seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp
    dried crushed basil
  • 1/2 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp
    cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp
    dried red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp
    black pepper
  • 2 pkg
    (12 oz each) frozen sliced okra
  • 2 Tbsp
    sorghum molasses
  • 1 lb
    shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 c
    hot cooked rice
  • tabasco sauce and chopped green onions

How To Make susan's famous gumbo

  • 1
    First, make a roux: combine butter and flour in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until well-blended and foamy. Continue to cook and stir until the roux is a nice brown color, somewhere between dark caramel and chocolate. Once it reaches the desired color, remove immediately from heat and reserve.
  • 2
    While the roux is cooking, sauté onions and celery in olive oil in a large dutch oven until soft. Add in the bell peppers and continue to cook until peppers are soft. Then add sausage, chicken, and broth. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.
  • 3
    Add tomato puree, all the seasonings, and the roux. Adjust cayenne and red pepper to personal taste. Bring to a boil and stir well. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer at least 30 minutes. This should be a very slow slimmer. Be careful not to let it stick or burn.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, cook frozen okra in microwave or on stove top until very hot and softened, about 7 minutes in the microwave or 10-15 minutes on stove top. Add sorghum molasses and okra to dutch oven, cover, and slow-simmer another 30 minutes.
  • 5
    Five to 10 minutes before serving, stir in shrimp and cook until shrimp is no longer pink. Gumbo may be left on a very low simmer at this point until ready to serve. The longer it simmers, the better it is. Adjust liquid by adding more water or broth if you like it thinner.
  • 6
    To serve, place a scoop of rice in a bowl and spoon gumbo over top. Pass Tabasco Sauce and chopped green onions for garnish.
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