Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole “holy trinity” ― celery, bell peppers, and onions. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used, whether okra or filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves).
What makes gumbo different from soup?
The one thing that really defines it, though, is the way it is thickened. Gumbo is much denser than a simple soup; the broth has a thick, almost viscous consistency. And that characteristic is most commonly created by making a roux, cooking flour and oil together until they thicken and darken.
Why is it called a gumbo?
Gumbo is derived from the word “gombo,” which translates to “okra” in many West African languages. The earliest recorded recipes for the dish include okra as a main ingredient, not necessarily as an afterthought or add-in by a cook who is being inventive or cleaning out their refrigerator.
Is gumbo gumbo without okra?
Some of the gumbos are made with okra, others with filé. Traditionally, gumbos have been divided into two large categories—those thickened with okra and those thickened with filé.
What is the main difference between gumbo and jambalaya?
The easiest way to tell the difference between the two dishes is the addition of rice in the process of cooking. Gumbo is a thick stew that is served with rice, separately — and Jambalaya is a stew that is cooked with rice.
What is the secret ingredient in gumbo?
The Secret Ingredient To Amazing Gumbo Is Chicken Stock, Several Friends Say. When you are going to make a delicious chicken and sausage gumbo, several friends swear by chicken stock as being imperative to making your gumbo great.
What is gumbo without roux called?
Gramercy Crawfish Gumbo
Instead of making a traditional gumbo roux, this recipe toasts flour in the oven to get the same nutty flavor (but without the fat), and uses okra instead as its primary thickener.
Does authentic gumbo have okra?
The original West African gumbo has been described as stew-like, thickened with okra, and containing fish and shellfish.
Does real gumbo have tomatoes?
Creole gumbos most often include tomatoes, shellfish and dark roux and often okra and filé powder, an herb made from ground leaves of sassafras trees. Cajun gumbo doesn’t have tomatoes and usually also contains chicken. It’s not uncommon for both Creole and Cajun gumbo to include meats such as ham or sausage as well.
Does gumbo always have rice?
Generally speaking, a gumbo is a thick, dark soup containing a mixture of rice, vegetables, and meat or seafood. Yet when it comes to ingredients, the one constant in gumbo is variety. Stanley Dry lists just two hard and fast rules: a gumbo must always contain rice, and it must always be thickened with something.
Why does my gumbo taste bitter?
“The reason is, once butter gets to a certain temp the fat and solids separate, this will occur before you get the roux to the color you want it, then the solids will begin to burn,” says Harden. This will leave your gumbo with a burnt bitter flavor, so instead opt for vegetable oil or even lard as the roux’s fat.
Which is better gumbo or jambalaya?
Gumbo is a soup or stew that is served alongside or on top of rice. Jambalaya is a casserole that is cooked in the same pot as the rice. They are both meat and rice dishes that originated in New Orleans.
Comparison chart.
| Gumbo | Jambalaya | |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Thicker | Thinner |
| Rice | Cooked separately | Cooked in same pot |
Do you cover gumbo while cooking?
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
What is the difference between étouffée and gumbo?
While both dishes use a broth base—like shrimp stock, crawfish tail stock, or chicken broth—étouffée has a thicker, gravy-like consistency because chefs make it with a roux (a mixture of all-purpose flour and butter). Gumbo, on the other hand, is thinner than étouffée, with a soupy stew broth.
Whats the difference between Creole and gumbo?
Gumbo is perhaps the signature dish of both cuisines. Creole gumbo has a tomato base and is more of a soup, while Cajun gumbo has a roux base and is more of a stew.
What is the flavor of gumbo?
What Does Gumbo Taste Like? Gumbo is a rich, flavorful stew that combines the unique flavors and textures of okra (bittersweet with a slimy texture) and/or sassafras leaves (which taste like root beer) with a variety of meat options.
Does gumbo take all day to cook?
Bring the gumbo to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for at least 3 hours or up to all day (the longer the better for flavors to blend). The gumbo should be the consistency of stew.
How do you add flavor to gumbo?
For the most flavor, use stock or broth in your gumbo instead of water. Whether you use chicken or vegetable stock, homemade or boxed, the stock will give your gumbo more depth and complexity.
How do you make gumbo thicker?
The most popular and common way to thicken gumbo is by adding a roux with flour, butter, and oil into the broth. To make a roux, you must add oil into the pot that gumbo is being cooked in. Oil can be any type of cooking oil; vegetable or olive oil will do the job just as well as coconut or peanut.
What is the liquid in gumbo called?
Gumbo broth or gravy derives from three primary thickeners: okra, filé powder, and roux. Traditionally, okra and filé powder are not used in the same dish, although this rule is sometimes broken.
Is jambalaya a Creole or Cajun?
Jambalaya is both a Cajun and a Creole dish. The differences are subtle, and there’s sometimes confusion or debate over the traditional ingredients required for each.