Crock Pot Gumbo

It’s Fat Tuesday! I’m going to celebrate to with a big ol’ bowl of gumbo while Blitzkrieg rocks his Mardi Gras beads.
 

 

I party like a rock star from Mars on Condo Blues AND Lazy Budget Chef!

Gumbo is best when it simmers for a few hours.(It’s even better if you make it the night before and let it marinade in the refrigerator overnight.) I’m usually short on time so I make my gumbo in the slow cooker.

Most gumbo recipes include shrimp or some sort of seafood.  I didn’t have shrimp at the time I created this recipe last summer to deal with the over population of fresh okra in my refrigerator so I left it out. I didn’t miss it because of the rich flavor I got from the sausage.

If you can’t stand the thought of gumbo without rice and shrimp, cook them separately and add them to the crockpot  gumbo before you serve it.

Slow Cooker Gumbo Recipe

You will need

1/2 cup   white flour

1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil if you don’t have peanut)

12 ounces spicy sausage  

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of minced garlic

2 cups chopped okra

1   can of diced tomatoes and liquid

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper flakes or chili powder (depending upon how spicy hot you like your food)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Make it

1.      Make the roux. The roux and the okra will act as thickening agents for the gumbo. Mix the white flour and oil in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Stir the mixture as it cooks for approximately 10 minutes until it turns light brown. WARNING: Burning and ruining a roux is crazy easy. Roux browns and burns quickly so you need to baby sit it.

2. Put the sausage, onion, garlic, and okra into the crockpot.

3. Pour the cake of tomatoes into the slow cooker including the liquid.

4. Add the roux to the mixture in the crock pot.

5. Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker.

6. Add the spices to the gumbo –  bay leaves, pepper flakes/chili powder, salt, pepper.

7. Cover and cook on high in the slowcooker for eight hours.

8. To serve. Remove the bay leaves. Add precooked rice and shrimp to the mix if desired.

Laissez le bon temps roule!

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