Shrimp Turkey and Sausage Gumbo
★ Issue CMSC·20–018 · Published 01 May 2020
BBQ/SmokedCajun/Creolechicken

Shrimp Turkey and Sausage Gumbo.

Simmer turkey five hours, reduce okra eight, then finish with sausage and shrimp for real, deep gumbo

PREP 90 min
COOK 480 min
TOTAL 32:30h h
SERVES —  
HEAT hot
BLEND RATING 4.9 140 reviews · Chain Reaction®
Jump to Recipe 🖶 Print
Made with Chain Reaction®Shop
You'll need
Large stockpotLarge heavy-bottomed potFine-mesh strainerWooden roux spoon

Simmer turkey five hours, reduce okra eight, then finish with sausage and shrimp for real, deep gumbo

Ingredients

For the Stock:

  • 1 turkey carcass (including whole wings and drumsticks if desired)
  • 2 large onions, unpeeled, quartered
  • 3 ribs of celery, cut in half
  • 3 leeks, cut into thirds (greens only, reserve the tender, white part for pulling it all together below)
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 6 poblano chiles, cut in half
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 quarts water
  • 4 Tablespoons Casa M Spice Co Chain Reaction
  • 2 Tablespoons whole peppercorns

For the "Smothered Okra":

  • 1 Tablespoon ghee
  • 2-1/2 pounds fresh okra
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co Uncontrolled Chain Reaction

For the Roux:

  • 1 cup ghee or coconut oil (or a mix)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

Pulling It All Together:

  • 3 onions, finely diced
  • 2 cups celery, finely diced
  • 2 cups poblano chiles, finely diced
  • 3 leeks roots trimmed, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (the tender, white part not used in the stock above)
  • 2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 pounds cooked turkey, skin removed, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1-1/2 pounds smoked sausage, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into half moons, browned in a skillet
  • 2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and headed (peeled if you prefer)
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Cooked white rice, for serving
  • Tabasco hot sauce, for serving

Method

  1. 01

    Start the smothered okra

    5 min

    Heat oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering, then add okra and coat it well. This long, slow cook breaks down the okra's natural slime and concentrates its flavor into something rich.

  2. 02

    Simmer okra low and slow

    480 min

    Drop heat to the lowest setting, cover tight, and stir every 20 minutes with a tablespoon of water to prevent scorching and keep steam working. After 7 hours, add diced tomato, then cook 1 more hour until the okra turns silky and dark.

  3. 03

    Prep stock vegetables

    15 min

    Quarter onions unpeeled, halve celery ribs, cut leek greens into thirds, peel garlic cloves, and halve poblanos. Unpeeled onions and charred poblano skin add depth and color to your stock.

  4. 04

    Build the turkey stock

    30 min

    Add vegetables, bay leaves, and water to a very large stockpot and bring to a boil. The vegetables will soften and start releasing flavor into the liquid in about 30 minutes.

  5. 05

    Add turkey and spices to stock

    300 min

    Once vegetables have broken down enough to make room, add the turkey carcass, Chain Reaction, and peppercorns, then return to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Five hours of gentle cooking extracts deep, clean turkey flavor without clouding the broth.

  6. 06

    Taste and adjust stock seasoning

    5 min

    About 4 hours into the simmer, taste your stock and add more garlic, Chain Reaction, or peppercorns to taste. This is your moment to dial in the backbone of the whole gumbo.

  7. 07

    Cool and strain stock

    60 min

    Turn off heat and let the stock rest for an hour, then pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids and bones. Cooling lets everything settle so you get clear, clean broth.

  8. 08

    Make the roux

    45 min

    In a thick-bottomed pan, melt fat over medium heat, add flour slowly while stirring constantly, then cook to a dark milk-chocolate brown, adjusting heat to prevent scorching. A proper roux is the soul of gumbo — patient stirring and the right color create the body and richness of the dish.

  9. 09

    Cool roux and build gumbo base

    10 min

    Keep stirring off heat until the bottom of the pan cools slightly, then add your chopped aromatics (white leek parts, onion, celery, garlic) to the roux. The roux will hold its color and incorporate the vegetables evenly when it's slightly cooled.

  10. 10

    Toast aromatics in roux

    8 min

    Cook the vegetables in the roux over low heat for a few minutes until they start to soften and smell fragrant. This builds a flavorful base layer before you add the liquid.

  11. 11

    Add stock to gumbo base

    15 min

    Whisk the warm stock into the roux and vegetables slowly to avoid lumps, stirring constantly until smooth. Bring to a simmer and let cook for a few minutes so everything binds together.

  12. 12

    Add smothered okra

    5 min

    Stir in your finished smothered okra, which adds body and that signature gumbo texture while bringing its deep, concentrated flavor into the pot.

  13. 13

    Finish with sausage and shrimp

    10 min

    Add your cooked sausage and raw shrimp to the pot and simmer just until the shrimp turn pink and cooked through. Don't overcook the shrimp — 2 to 3 minutes is all you need.

  14. 14

    Taste and serve

    5 min

    Taste one more time and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more Chain Reaction as needed. Ladle over rice and let people add their own hot sauce and file powder at the table.

From Mike's Notebook

01

Don't peel the onions—the papery skin colors your stock deep amber without any bitterness.

02

Save leek whites for the finish; they'll add sweetness after eight hours of okra reduction.

03

Roast the turkey carcass at 425°F for 45 minutes before stock—raw bones give you soup, not gumbo.

Cooked It?

Tell us how it went.