Table Talk

By Don't drink and type

February 15, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

My secret is pulling out my Justin Wilson autographed cookbook and following his recipe. Be patient and cook the roux to just the right shade of brown. I’ve had gumbo all along the Gulf coast and Justin’s recipe is as good as the best I’ve had and far superior to others. Thanks for this prompt, it’s time to make a pot.

By KP

February 15, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this

You just make the roux like you do gravy and, like you said, make sure not to cook it too long.

I use my grandmother’s recipe (she was from New Orlean, rest her soul), and it turns out perfect everytime! It’s full of sausage, crab meat, crab legs, shrimp, steak, ham and sometimes chicken! It DEE-LI-CIOUS!

By SexyLeggs

February 15, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

KP sound delicious. Can you give me the recipe. If not, I’ll understand, but I really hope you will…lol.

By Dianne Kaplan

February 15, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

I make the best gumbo!!! I grew up in cajun town south of lafayette and have been cooking gumbo since I was 7 years old. I would love very much to turn you on to the best gumbo you have ever tasted. my number is 770-436-6866- and I live in Smyrna Ga.

By rjintheatl

February 15, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

AJ’s Seafood and Poboys in Marietta has excellent gumbo.

By RH

February 15, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

I didn’t know there was any great gumbo in this town.

By Dirty Dawg

February 15, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Well my late grandmother was from Southwest Louisiana, the real heart of Evangeline and Cajun Country. Now those folks know their roux. She shared her ‘touch’ with my wife - and believe me it is ‘touch’ moreso than ingredients, those are predictable, touch is not - and her’s is wonderful.

I’ll never forget that when the ‘Taste of New Orleans’ restaurant was open for business here and folks were touting how good it was…that was the lousiest gumbo I’d ever had, and I’d had some bad stuff, and it all came down to they burned their roux. I mean they ‘always’ burned their roux, so I figured it was on purpose or that they thought that’s what passed for gumbo in New Orleans. Was it that they were doin’ ‘creole’ and not enough authentic ‘cajun’ cooking? Regardless, they eventually went out of business. By the way, there is a difference in ‘creole’ and ‘cajun’…as Justin Wilson would say, ‘I gar-own-tee’.

McKinnon’s used to do a good gumbo - haven’t been there lately…and Joe Dale when he’s looking over things at ‘Fuzzy’s’ has always had the ‘touch’ as well.

By louisianagirl

February 15, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this

The key to a good roux is beer and not the cheap stuff.

By John

February 15, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this

Go to Mexico Beach, Florida (about 30 minutes east of Panama City) this weekend for the annual gumbo cookoff. We have gone for several years and have enjoyed a variety of gumbos each year—90 percent of them very good to excellent. Grilled flounder, shrimp, oysters, crabs, sausage, chicken, hot spices, mild spices, vegetables—there is something for everyone’s taste. It’s well worth the drive.

By Ben Holton

February 15, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

My Mom grew up in New Orleans, does catering and makes an excellent gumbo (which is hard to find in Atlanta). She’s actually perfected a technique for making the roux in the microwave!

Anyone interested in having her teach you how to make your own gumbo or have her make it for you can email or call her: Margaret Reeves, marr845@yahoo.com, 404-933-8124

By LAWoman

February 15, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

Henry’s Louisiana Grill in Acworth is fantastic! The gumbo is outstanding! Check them out: http://www.chefhenrys.com/. Go early for dinner — they get very crowded & understandably so!

By Nickie

February 15, 2007 01:19 PM | Link to this

I agree both Henry’s and AJ’s make great gumbo. The basic roux is the secret and it’s not hard. Follow Chef Paul Prudhomm’s receipe for what he calls “cajun napalm” . The secret is a very hot cast iron skillet and then a perfect roux takes about 10 minutes.

By Susan

February 15, 2007 01:38 PM | Link to this

I grew up in south Louisiana and have made gumbo, eaten gumbo made by others and think I am a pretty good judge. Surprisingly, Picadilly cafeteria makes good gumbo (although, they had their roots in Baton Rouge). The secret in making the roux is patience. Good gumbo is made with a dark roux. If you don’t like seafood, a leftover turkey carcass will make excellent gumbo.

By Scott

February 15, 2007 02:44 PM | Link to this

Henry’s has terrific gumbo.

By KP

February 15, 2007 03:19 PM | Link to this

SexyLeggs,

give me your email address and I’ll email the recipe to you. Or shoot me an email to kwp1911@yahoo.com and I’ll reply with the recipe.

By bwhit

February 15, 2007 04:15 PM | Link to this

RedFish makes good gumbo and fried oysters. Went there two nights ago. The chef is nice. The waiters are snotty.

By bwhit

February 15, 2007 04:22 PM | Link to this

I lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana for several years. Know how to tell a good gumbo? It looks like dirty dishwater after you’ve washed every dirty dish in your kitchen. No kidding! It is very watery and thin, not like what they serve around here. Oh yeah have the Tabasco standing by.

By Mark

February 15, 2007 04:46 PM | Link to this

My wife grew up in Louisiana, and makes the best gumbo I ever had, bar none. WIth chicken or turkey, sausage and shrimp. And yes, it looks like dirty dishwater..very dirty!

By Pam

February 16, 2007 08:14 AM | Link to this

Try Gumbeaux’s Cajun Cafe, Broad St. Douglasville, GA. Everything is great not just the gumbo.

By Steve Edwards

February 16, 2007 08:49 AM | Link to this

Gumbo is not like soup making. Ya got to save the right stuff from the fish trip to make the stock, the roux has to be made with lard. Ya just don’t find all ya need in a can, thats why good gumbo hard to find, got to make it your self.

By Tinsdale

February 16, 2007 07:33 PM | Link to this

Most of the comments along the lines of “this is what real gumbo is like” are full of crap. My late mom’s family is Cajun (my grandother used to talk to her kids in Cajun French and they would answer in English). I’ve been down there lots of times and gumbo is made all sorts of ways by real Cajuns down there( I’m talking about Cajuns making it at home, not somebody making it for a TV show). Some people make a thick, gravy-like gumbo that they serve over a mound of rice. Some people make a gumbo with rice in it already that has the consistency of stew. Some people make it with the consistency of soup. It can be good made any of these ways. It’s critical not to mess up the roux but dear god it’s not rocket science; it’s just a pretty boring process that you have to pay attention to while you’re doing it. As far as I’ve ever seen, use of a cast iron pot is pretty much required because cast iron heats so evenly and reduces the chances of burning.

By 4thGenOrleanian

February 22, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this

The only way to make a proper roux is with =real= butter, flour, a well-seasoned cast iron pot, and cooked over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the color and consistency of peanut butter. I believe most restaurants use a boxed (think instant) roux. Sacrilege!

By 4thGenOrleanian

February 22, 2007 12:02 PM | Link to this

Gumbeaux’s Cajun Cafe is crap! They couldn’t make a good gumbo, or anything else, if their life depended on it!

By CrazyAbout Cooking

February 23, 2007 05:25 PM | Link to this

There is no one key ingredient that makes or breaks gumbo. Any well-prepared dish depends on paying close attention to all of the components. It is true that gumbo can be made in multifarious ways, and people tend to have an affinity for their particular family recipe. My family is from New Orleans and Opelousas, and we like the consistency of our gumbo more like stew than gravy. It is for this reason that I usually avoid ordering gumbo at a restaurant. I prefer to make it myself. If you’re interested in some good gumbo, then try 3 Brothers Catering (http://3BrothersCatering.googlepages.com)

By denise

February 26, 2007 02:04 PM | Link to this

The best gumbo is the gumbo Ya Ya at Mr. B’s in NOL. YUMMM! I’ve never been able to find any like it here.