Fix A Too-Thin Gumbo With This Simple Technique
Gumbo is one of those regional specialties that people are more than willing to travel to taste. The spicy, hearty stew, often loaded up with seafood, sausage, and spices, inspires many a pilgrimage to New Orleans, where visitors may also explore the exact difference between gumbo and jambalaya. That said, you can also recreate this dish right at home.
If you've never attempted to make your own gumbo, however, you may have questions about how to get that perfect signature consistency and prevent the dish from turning out disappointingly thin. Fortunately, Darren Chabert, who serves Louisiana seafood and andouille gumbo with shrimp, crab, and okra, along with steamed white rice as the chef de cuisine at Saint John Restaurant (@saintjohnnola on Instagram) in New Orleans, shared an exclusive tip with Chowhound that will put home cooks at ease when they set out to make their own gumbo.
"I make the roux separate and add it later in the cooking process," he says. There's sound science behind this expert tip though. Explaining the rationale behind his technique, Chabert adds, "I can maintain more control of how thick I make the gumbo."
How to put this pro tip to use
There's a difference between a roux and a slurry, but the former is the one in question for this dish. It's made from equal parts fat and flour, then cooked to varying degrees of done-ness, ranging from a lighter color to a rich, dark brown. Roux, a staple of Creole and Cajun food, can be used for everything from country gravy to étouffée, but in general it is renowned for its ability to thicken and add richness to recipes.
In gumbo, roux is often integrated into the cooking process, combined with aromatics and meat (if being used), and followed by a period of simmering. This is the last step during which the mixture of ingredients cooks down and thickens. But with chef Darren Chabert's tip, keeping the roux separate and adding it in later means that if you're not pleased with the consistency of your dish, you can always easily add a little more to thicken as you go, testing it out to determine when you've used enough.
You can always customize your gumbo based on your preferred flavors, dietary needs, and available ingredients to make up your own regional and personal interpretation. And whether or not you have a chance to get down to New Orleans, sticking to Chabert's simple technique can help transport you to the Crescent City anytime.