Gumbo Roux

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CaptJack
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Gumbo Roux

Post by CaptJack »

Gumbo Roux
1-cup bacon grease
1½- cup flour
started on the stovetop
1½ hours in the oven @ 375°
stirred with a whisk every 15'mins
how's that for the perfect color ;)

for a future Creole gumbo (seafood)
already have a shrimp stock in the freezer

Image
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Chief Brody
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by Chief Brody »

I've never heard of it done in the oven like that - pretty cool idea -

thanks Capt.
salvadordaly
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by salvadordaly »

Chief Brody wrote:I've never heard of it done in the oven like that - pretty cool idea -

thanks Capt.

Brody, they say it is fool proof that way. I think that you do not have to whisk if you don't want to. Also the cast iron is a factor. I have never done it myself either, but then I have never burned a roux, but it is a lot more work the traditional way. Alton Brown covered it in an episode of good eats. I believe the episode was Creole vs. Cajun. You can look it up on line.
My little tip for a Roux,,,,,,,,,,,,
Use all butter for the fat. Just try it next time. You can thank me later.
salvadordaly
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by salvadordaly »

CaptJack wrote:Gumbo Roux
1-cup bacon grease
1½- cup flour
started on the stovetop
1½ hours in the oven @ 375°
stirred with a whisk every 15'mins
how's that for the perfect color ;)

for a future Creole gumbo (seafood)
already have a shrimp stock in the freezer

Image
Looks damn good Captain!
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CaptJack
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by CaptJack »

Deb and i were watching America's Test Kitchen one Saturday a couple of years ago where they showed cooking the roux in the oven. you can't burn it! just leave it in until it gets to the color you want. stir it with a whisk every once in awhile.
start it on the stove top first. let the oil get hot enough that when you put in a spoonful of flour, it sizzles.
then add the flour in batches until you get it all mixed in. then move it to the oven to finish.

Cajun gumbo (LkCharles, Lafayette, Abbeville, etc.) roux is made with butter or oil.
I've learned that if you use oil, corn oil is the best. never use olive oil.
Creole gumbo roux is made with saved bacon grease or butter.

another thing we learned is that Creole gumbo (NewOrleans seafood gumbo) is made with shrimp stock.
every time you buy fresh shrimp buy them with the heads on. as soon as you head and peel the shrimp make a stock.
i save ever one in batches in the freezer. Cajun gumbo is made with chicken stock.

Cajun gumbo has chicken and andouille sausage.
Creole gumbo has shrimp, crab, oysters, etc.. and maybe andouille sausage.
both gumbos have okra and file

the shrimp stock i made from 2#s of 20 count white shrimp, heads on
after i peeled them
for the next creole / seafood gumbo

and the really kewl ZipLok bag holder that folds up to go in the drawer

http://www.amazon.com/Jokari-16930-Stor ... B0040LU3Y8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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salvadordaly
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by salvadordaly »

That is some good information. I have never heard of using corn oil for a roux. The bag holder you have, WTF why didn't I think of that? You do not know how many times I have asked someone to come here and hold open this bag! Do you think the clips are strong enough to hold a vacuum seal bag while filling? Being that there is no lip to grab like the zip lock bags. I know it would work well for drying them though, which is something I do a lot of after washing for reuse.
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CaptJack
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by CaptJack »

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Last edited by CaptJack on Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Chief Brody
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by Chief Brody »

salvadordaly wrote:
Chief Brody wrote:I've never heard of it done in the oven like that - pretty cool idea -

thanks Capt.

Brody, they say it is fool proof that way. I think that you do not have to whisk if you don't want to. Also the cast iron is a factor. I have never done it myself either, but then I have never burned a roux, but it is a lot more work the traditional way. Alton Brown covered it in an episode of good eats. I believe the episode was Creole vs. Cajun. You can look it up on line.
My little tip for a Roux,,,,,,,,,,,,
Use all butter for the fat. Just try it next time. You can thank me later.
I use half bacon grease/half vegetable oil, always thought butter would burn easier. I'm a whisk for 30 minutes roux guy, burning is the one thing I don't want to let happen. But I'll give it a try -
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by CaptJack »

salvadordaly wrote:That is some good information. I have never heard of using corn oil for a roux. The bag holder you have, WTF why didn't I think of that? You do not know how many times I have asked someone to come here and hold open this bag! Do you think the clips are strong enough to hold a vacuum seal bag while filling? Being that there is no lip to grab like the zip lock bags. I know it would work well for drying them though, which is something I do a lot of after washing for reuse.
I did the test with a vacuum bag in the bag holder
I poured a quart of water into one of the ready made vacuum bags
since the bag is a little taller than the arms of the bag holder, the sides of the bag never slipped as i poured in the water Image

Image

Image

if you were worried about the sides of the bag slipping out you can always put some bulldog clips on the clamps

Image
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Yaklash
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by Yaklash »

I was taught to use vegetable oil (preferably corn), but love the idea of bacon fat. I just don't eat enough bacon to come up with that much bacon grease though.

As far as the shrimp stock is concerned, the friend who taught me how to make gumbo had a short cut for the stock. His method is to use a Zattaran's (or other brand) Shrimp and Crab Boil spice mix (the kind that comes in the bag). Once you have the roux going, boil water and put in the spice bag and lemon half and cook the shrimp and crab per the recipe on the box. When slightly under-done, scoop out the seafood and cool it off quickly in ice water, drain and set aside - you'll add it back later with the fish and oysters. Now use the crab boil water as your stock. His other tip was to buy canned (in a jar) oysters and pour the oyster juice from the jar into the stock as you're cooking the vegetables (celery, onions, bell pepper and okra).
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by quiet time »

I made the American Test Kitchen (Cooks Country) gumbo a while back. The roux was made in the oven in a ceramic dutch oven - so the roux came out a little more golden than it would have in a cast iron skillet, I believe.

Don't get me wrong - I live in the Beaumont area and love chicken/sausage gumbo with the dark brown roux. But this gumbo, though lighter, was very flavorful and an overall excellent dish. Now I have an annual subscription to Cooks Country so I can pull recipes from their website any time I want.
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Re: Gumbo Roux

Post by Yaklash »

quiet time wrote:I made the American Test Kitchen (Cooks Country) gumbo a while back. The roux was made in the oven in a ceramic dutch oven - so the roux came out a little more golden than it would have in a cast iron skillet, I believe.

Don't get me wrong - I live in the Beaumont area and love chicken/sausage gumbo with the dark brown roux. But this gumbo, though lighter, was very flavorful and an overall excellent dish. Now I have an annual subscription to Cooks Country so I can pull recipes from their website any time I want.
I steal recipes from that show all the time. Good stuff and I have only ever tried one dish I just didn't like at all (something way too heavy in ginger). I usually end up changing a few things here and there to adjust to my preferences. My chili recipe is a slightly modified version of theirs. Really good chili and you wouldn't think Yankees would know how to do chili......so I guess they ought to be able to make a good gumbo
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