Family Recipe – Grandma’s Gumbo

Created on a typewriter, this worn and yellowing paper is stained with what I can only imagine is sweet tea and roux grease. The creases are brittle and the edges worn. On the margins is my mother’s loopy cursive, noting the slight adjustments she made over time. The first line reads, “One hen for boiling.”

It’s not often I use it — this emotional 8 1/2 x 11 page of measurements and instructions. It is reserved for special occasions. And the annual clamming trip to Southampton, New York is just that.

Myself and eight friends spend one weekend each summer at a tiny beach house — the former home of my friend’s grandmother, which has also been handed down from generation to generation. We make this trek for one purpose: clamming. We swim across the shallow bay, dragging floating coolers for beer and clams and dig our feet into the black, silky mush — a mix of quicksand and slick mud. Within minutes we’re hoisting clams to the surface with our toes. Within an hour we’ve filled the cooler.

From there we swim to another area to hunt for oysters. Though not as plentiful as clams, we managed to catch close to a dozen, which we shucked and ate within minutes. The first time I tasted an oyster freshly caught from these waters, I proclaimed I would never taste a better bite of seafood. I still have yet to.

Back at the house, after enjoying melt-in-your-mouth oysters, we got to work steaming the clams. Working in batches, we piled the fresh clams (third picture) into a large, metal pot and added only water. A few minutes later, the clams opened, exposing the briny meat we worked so hard barely exerted any effort for. This process created a delicious, salty broth that we used in the gumbo. We were also lucky enough to have two quarts of lobster stock on hand, thanks to a friend’s recent seafood smorgasbord and his ambition to put to use leftover shells.

Here it is, the best gumbo you’ll ever taste–Grandma’s gumbo.

Grandma’s Gumbo

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5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Emily Holbrook
• Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x

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Description

A rich and flavorful seafood gumbo, featuring tender chicken, fresh clams, and oysters, simmered in a savory roux-based broth and served over rice.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 hen for boiling
• 1 cup (240 ml) shortening (or butter or vegetable oil)
• 1 cup (240 ml) flour
• 3 to 4 quarts (2.85 to 3.8 L) stock
• 2 onions chopped
• 3 bell peppers chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chopped celery
• 3 tsp garlic, minced
• 5 bay leaves
• 1 cup (240 ml) chopped green onion (tops only)
• 1 bunch fresh parley, chopped
• several squirt worsteschire sauce
• 1 to 1 1/2 lb (450 to 680 g) sliced okra
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 lb (450 g) kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• chopped chicken
• 3 to 4 lb (1.35 to 1.8 kg) small shrimp
• 5 to 6 oz (150 to 170 g) cure 81 ham
• 1 lb (450 g) crab meat (or any other seafood, such as clams)
• cooked white rice
• gumbo filé (optional)

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Instructions

1. Place shrimp in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp red pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Boil the hen with celery, onion, salt, and pepper until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Remove the hen from the pot, let it cool, then shred the meat. Reserve the stock.
3. In a large pot, heat 1 cup of shortening over medium heat. Add 1 cup of flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Cook until the roux is a dark brown color, about 15-20 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
4. Add the chopped onions, bell peppers, and celery to the roux. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent.
5. Add the minced garlic and bay leaves, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
6. Gradually whisk in 3 to 4 quarts of the reserved chicken stock and the lobster stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
7. Add the shredded chicken, steamed clams, and shucked oysters to the pot. Simmer for 1 hour, allowing the flavors to meld together.
8. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and red pepper to taste.
9. Serve the gumbo hot over cooked rice.

Notes

• Sauteeing okra beforehand helps remove some of the vegetable’s ropiness.
• Use fresh clams and oysters for the best flavor.
• The gumbo can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat gently before serving.

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 3 grams
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 20 grams
• Carbohydrates: 20 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Protein: 25 grams
• Cholesterol: 75 mg

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