Turkey Gumbo For JamesB.

[Danny]

This is not something one would make very often, but when you have left over turkey, this is a good way to use it!

Make a roux (instructions follow below)
2 lbs. of cooked turkey, pulled into fairly small pieces .
2 cups of chopped onion
1 cup of chopped green bell peper
1 cup of chopped celery
4 large toes of garlic
3 bay leafs
1-2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
8 cups of turkey stock (recipe follows)
6 cups of cooked rice..you do know how to make rice, don't you?

Turkey Stock:
Take stripped carcass and break up. Put in large pot with an onion cut in half, and a couple of carrots and celery, halved. Salt to taste. Cover with water and cook for several hours (at least 4) with lid OFF at the lowest boil you can get on your stove. Strain and save broth. Set aside.

Roux...you must have a good heavy pot. Cast iron or something that heats evenly. I use a cast iron dutch oven and sometimes I use my All Clad. Spoon out 3/4 cup of Crisco into pot and heat till hot. Add 3/4 cup of flour, slowly, stirring constantly till smooth. You can start out with a medium heat under the pot, but as the roux starts to get brown, you will need to reduce the heat to medium low to low, for as the roux reaches the done point, it will be too hot and is easy to burn. Stir often in the beginning and every few seconds as it starts to get done. You will know. It will start to smell "nutty" and become a rich, dark brown. My roux takes about 45 min. to one hour to make. It can be made faster, but watch out. When roux is ready, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. This will stop the roux from browning farther and burning. It will turn darker when you add the trinity (onion, bell pepper and celery), but this is normal. Don't worry. Now, bring your heat up to medium low to medium and stir trinity often untill it starts to reduce a little and onions start to become a little clear...several minutes. Now add garlic toes and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add stock (stock should be hot or it can cause the mixture to curdle). Stir till throughly mixed. Add salt to taste, the cayenne pepper, bay leaves and thyme. Cook at a LOW boil (as low as you can get the fire and still boil), with the lid OFF the pot. You never need a lid during this recipe. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add turkey and cook for about 15-20 minitues more. Let rest a bit, spoon out some rice in a bowl, pour gumbo over the rice till the rice is very loose, or starting to swim, get a spoon and dig in. Some good french bread goes real good with the gumbo.

Tip: A dark gumbo roux will not thicken much at all when the stock is add. It's not suppose to. You have cooked most of the gluten out of the flour. The main purpose of the roux is to add a deep flavor and depth of body. It will not look like or be thick like a cream gravy poured over a chicken fried steak. This recipe can be made with chicken, duck, quail, rabbit, squirrel, coon, possum, etc. but not for fish or seafood. Make sure you have enough stock.

Danny

[JamesB]

Thanks Danny! I've got it copied... We always cook an extra turkey or two just to make sure we have leftovers!

Don't really know why I only cook turks a couple times a year... Maybe if they would go on sale outside of the holidays, I'd be more inclined to include 'em year round.

[Danny]

You're welcome, James. However, if you want to make a gumbo any ol'time, say like with a chicken, chicken and sausage, etc., you can make it easier. Just save the stock that you boiled the chicken in and add that to the roux (make sure you add the onion, etc. to the stock and use a big chicken). Then add a lb. of good sausage when you add the deboned chicken pieces. Or, you can do it the ol' timey way...don't make a stock. Just cut a big raw chicken, or a hen, into frying size pieces with the bone in just like your are going to fry it, add 7- 8 cups of hot water to the roux, the chicken, and let it cook for 1 1/2 hours or so. The raw fowl will make a flavorfull stock as it cooks. This is the fastest way and the way I did it for a long time. Was taught that way many years ago in Louisiana where I was born and raised. The only difference is you will have larger pieces of chicken to deal with and a bone when you pour it over the rice. You got to use your "fingers" and get down with it to eat some of the chicken...old school fer sure, but might tasty and much faster.

Danny

[JamesB]

Both ways sound good!

[Danny]

You know that to top the dish off with a 1/2 teaspoon of file' is great, but so many readers won't have that, I didn't include it. Maybe I should have. It's not a must. It can be garnished with a little chopped green onion also.

Danny

[Papa Tom]

Thanks Danny now just let me know when to go over to James' place........

[OSD]

Thanks, that sounds great.

[JamesB]

Been using the file' in that manner for years...

PT, your welcome over to my place any old time... Usually have something ta eat ya know... just bring the beer.

[ChileFarmer]

Danny, good post saved for sure. CF

[DATsBBQ]

I rue the day I tried to make roux, but with you directions I just might try it again when the snow flys and I'm stuck indoors. (Overnight low last night was 42°, so it'll be sooner than ya think).

[Danny]

Just take your time and go easy, Dave. It'll turn out fine. Wish I lived where you do. Pretty country and a great climate up there. I have a cabin about 115 miles from here. It's nice up there too. Sits a little under 8,000 ft and nice and cool. Just don't get to go enough!

Danny