My philosophy is "If you are going to cook, cook." If you are going to be chopping, dicing, and making a roux, just go for it and freeze smaller batches so you can enjoy your efforts later with no effort.
Do not let this quantity scare you. Gumbo freezes well. If you are going to go to the trouble to make a good gumbo, you should have some for later. You can also cut this recipe in half.
Makes 2 gallons of gumbo
For the gumbo base:
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 3 cups chopped bell pepper
• 3 cups chopped celery
• 1 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoons basil (dry)
• 1 teaspoon thyme (dry)
• 4 tablespoons gumbo file powder
• 1 ½ cups dark roux
• 6 quarts chicken stock
• 4 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 8 cups frozen okra
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
For chicken-andouille gumbo:
• 3 cups diced andouille sausage
• 6 cups diced cooked chicken
I often use rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. I like using white and dark meat and they have good flavor for soups and gumbos.
For seafood gumbo:
• 4 gumbo crabs (these are usually in the frozen food section—blue crabs that have been cleaned and the hard shell removed.)
• 2 cups crab meat or shelled crab claws
• 6 cups shrimp—peeled and deveined
Optional:
• 1 pint East Coast oysters (I do not recommend Pacific oysters—they are too large and milky)
