Recipe courtesy of Harold & Belle's
File Gumbo
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 32 quarts
- Total: 3 hr 30 min
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
20 quarts (5 gallons) seafood stock
2 brown onions, minced
2 green bell peppers, minced
1 celery bunch, minced
4 ounces Creole seasoning
4 ounces gumbo file powder or sassafras
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
4 cups vegetable oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 pounds sliced smoked sausage
8 pounds sliced beef hot link
8 pounds large-diced ham
5 pounds blue crab
8 pounds peeled and deveined 21/25 shrimp
Directions
Special equipment:
a 32-quart (8-gallon) stockpot- In a 32-quart stockpot, bring the seafood stock to a boil. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Add the Creole seasoning, gumbo file, thyme and basil. Bring back to a boil and boil for about 30 minutes.
- In a cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture (roux) is dark brown in color (the color of milk chocolate). Add the roux to the stockpot and stir in until dissolved. Continue to boil for 15 minutes, then add the chicken thighs. Continue to add the remaining proteins every 15 minutes in the following order: smoked sausage, hot link, ham, crab and shrimp. After the shrimp are added, cook for another 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.