1st try at Gumbo

[Ka Honu]

... But here's the catch, No roux...

Granted I haven't lived in Louisiana since the late 50s (and then in Beauregard Parish - slightly north of Acadiana) but chicken was an integral part of many gumbo recipes even then (except, of course, in seafood gumbo and gumbo z'herbes. Probably because other, possibly more traditional fowl (duck, pheasant, etc.) weren't quite as readily available.

In any case, I learned there were three basic thickeners that made it "gumbo"-  roux, filé, and okra - which could be used separately or in combination. I prefer a dark roux base for taste but have been known to use or add the others.

And like Lost Arrow always says, your gumbo ingredients pretty much depend on what's in your fridge. It's all good.

[Bayoucajun]

Real chicken gumbo they used a hen, chicken will break apart. File is used after gumbo is made.

[Lines]

Gumbo two big errors used tomatoes and used chicken.

The chicken and the tomatoes were not used, they were brand new.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HOMERUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........I love it Gus!

[Ka Honu]

Real chicken gumbo they used a hen, chicken will break apart.

Didn't know this was going to turn into a semantics issue but in American English "chickens" are the species, for want of a better term. "Hens" are female chickens who have laid eggs.

As I understand it, chickens raised for meat (male or female) are now usually slaughtered at about 6 weeks. Laying hens last a year or so longer.

I think they may have primarily used hens in gumbo back in the day because they were not very tender and pretty useless for anything other than boiling after their laying days were over. That would explain hens "not breaking up" during a long cook and why chickens (male or female) raised for meat might sort of fall apart when cooked for the same length of time.

I guess the answer is to use what you've got and adjust your cooking time accordingly.

[teesquare]

Gus - that looks awesome! Any negative comments are just jealous of yours. Every family has it's own recipes and  include tomatoes and some don't. Just like in Texas, chili should not have beans according to some people....and others love beans in their chili. I like BOTH .
The greatest thing about cooking - to me - is that there are NO RULES......if their were - then Emeril has broken them all . But he is a Yankee that fell in love with N.O. and south LA cooking too - you you are in great company!

BTW....FedEx delivers leftovers to my house......
T