Turkey Andouille Gumbo Recipes

SMOKED TURKEY-AND-ANDOUILLE GUMBO RECIPE

Steps:

• Debone smoked turkey, trying not to shred meat. Cut turkey meat into manageable bite-size pieces, about 1 inch in size. Refrigerate turkey meat for later use in recipe. Place turkey carcass in a large (14-quart) stockpot.
• Remove and reserve ends from celery. Remove and reserve ends and skins from all onions. Quarter medium-size onion. Quarter all bell peppers, and remove and reserve membranes; discard seeds. Add celery ends, pepper membranes, and onion ends and skins to pot, along with quartered onion, 4 whole celery stalks, and quarters from 1 pepper. Store remaining vegetables, covered, in refrigerator for later use.
• Cover with water, and bring to a roaring boil over high; reduce heat to medium, and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, at a steady simmer, until reduced to 8 quarts of stock, which will take up to 8 hours. Remove turkey carcass and vegetable pieces, and discard. Pour stock through a wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl to remove remaining solids; return strained stock to stockpot.
• Stir together flour and oil in a medium-size cast-iron pan with a slotted, flat spatula. Stir until mixture is thoroughly combined and lumps or bits of flour are no longer visible. Cook mixture over medium, stirring constantly, until it is dark brown in color (think of an aged penny), between 35 minutes and 1 hour and 15 minutes. (This process depends on the heat, which varies from stove-top to stove-top, and the aggressiveness of the cook. Patience is very important.) If the roux burns, throw it away and start over. A burned roux cannot be used. The spatula should constantly rub or scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent mixture from sticking and burning. If the roux begins to clump, whisk out the clump with an aluminum whisk. Once roux has reached desired color, remove pan from heat; continue stirring until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes. (The roux will continue to cook as it cools.)
• Bring stock to a light boil, and carefully stir in cooled roux. Stir until roux has completely dissolved into stock, giving stock a dark brown color. (At this stage, mixture will be very bitter and taste flat.)
• Lightly boil mixture, stirring constantly, 45 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes longer.
• Add andouille sausage, in batches, to stock mixture. (Adding in batches prevents mixture from cooling down too much.) Cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, dice remaining refrigerated celery (6 stalks, about 1 1⁄2 cups), peppers (2 peppers, about 1 cup), and onions (2 small onions, about 2 cups). Keep diced vegetables separated.
• Stir the minced garlic into the stock; stir in the "trinity" (diced celery, peppers, and onions), 1 vegetable at a time, adding onions last. Be careful not to cool down the gumbo. It is wise to add 1 vegetable and then wait 5 minutes, allowing the gumbo to heat back up before adding the next vegetable. Note the change in terminology: It's now a gumbo that is still in its infancy. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
• Add turkey pieces slowly so the gumbo does not cool down. Lightly boil, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the turkey pieces.
• Add seasonings and hot sauce. If your taste buds are sensitive to seasonings, add only half of each seasoning (except the garlic powder) and hot sauce.
• With a small aluminum ladle, begin to remove grease from top of gumbo. If additional grease rises to the surface, remove before serving. (Removing the grease is a key step.) Taste the gumbo. If it still seems flat, cook it longer for a greater depth of flavor. The amount of heat under the gumbo and the number of times it is stirred either shortens or lengthens the process.
• Once you have settled on the taste and the gumbo is ready for serving, add scallions and parsley. Serve over rice, making sure you do not see the rice in your bowl and removing bay leaves (if using). It's not meant to be like a stew or rice and gravy. It should be served like a soup with rice at the bottom of the bowl.

TURKEY & ANDOUILLE GUMBO

Steps:

• To make the roux:.
• In a large heavy stockpot or cast iron skillet, combine flour and oil over low heat and cook, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a nice dark pecan-brown color. (Here is a great tutorial on making a roux, http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=225104&sid=378ee16fc9829f21e4454a60406c07ce.
• Next add your onions, bell pepper and garlic to the pot. Let cook, stirring often, until veggies are tender. (If you used a skillet to cook your roux you will need to transfer this mixture to a large stockpot at this point.).
• Add all remaining ingredients except rice, okra and file (pronounced Fee-lay).
• Allow gumbo to come up to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let cook for 1 to 3 hours.
• It is my experience that the longer you let it simmer the better the flavor. Some folks around here even go so far as to cook gumbo a day ahead because they believe a good gumbo is at least 24 hours old.
• About 1 hour before you want to serve the gumbo you can add the okra and file, and let the mixture return to a boil. Reduce heat again and let it continue to simmer until you are ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, prepare rice according to the package directions.
• Extra file should be placed in a small bowl and served alongside the gumbo for those who want to add some to their bowl. Gumbo file is a thickening agent that comes from ground sassafras leaves and gives gumbo it's distinctive flavor.
• Serve Gumbo over rice and us hot French rolls.

TURKEY GUMBO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine 1/4 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup chopped onion, and 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper. Process until smooth.
• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the canola oil with the olive oil and whisk to combine. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan or Dutch oven, add the flour, and place over moderate heat. Cook the mixture, stirring slowly and constantly, until the roux is dark brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the puréed vegetables, and stir to combine. Cover and reserve.
• In a heavy large pot over moderate heat, warm the remaining 1/4 cup canola oil. Add the andouille sausage and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, along with the remaining green bell pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until just soft and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining celery and onions, along with the garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 8 cups of chicken stock, along with the thyme, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the reserved roux, whisking as needed to dissolve the roux in the liquid.
• Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to low, season the gumbo with salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes. (The gumbo should have the consistency of chowder. If it thickens too much as it simmers, add additional stock; if it's too thin, in a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 3 tablespoons canola oil and gradually add this mixture to the gumbo, simmering the mixture for a few minutes between additions, until the desired consistency is reached.) Add the turkey meat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot. DO AHEAD: The gumbo can be prepared ahead and kept, covered in the refrigerator, up to 3 days, or frozen, in an airtight container, up to 3 months. To reheat: Warm the gumbo in a heavy pot over moderate heat, adding additional chicken stock as needed to adjust the consistency.