File’ Gumbo

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♼ Recipe origin is unknown. File gumbo recipe, recipe Rating: 4.8
Number of votes:83

My Great-great grandmother’s recipe, modified over 4 generations. I still can’t believe it was FINALLY written down! The gumbo should be thin but not watery. P.S .– I have a 3-gallon pot that I use to cook this and it is usually about 3/4 full. (Make sure you know the basics of making roux before you try this. If the roux is not dark brown, the gumbo will not have the rich taste necessary to give it that special taste). This is good for several days. It can also be frozen and reheated. Enjoy!

Ready in: 3 hours

Ingredients

Serves: 15

• 15 lbs. shrimp
• 2 lbs. stew beef
• 1/2 gal. oysters
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup mix
• 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• File’ to taste — at least 1/4 cup

Preparation method

Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 2 hours

1. De-head and peel raw shrimp. Place back in refrigerator. DO NOT COOK before putting in gumbo. DO NOT DRAIN OYSTERS.

2. Cut stew beef into bite-size pieces. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Stir in 1 c. flour. Stir until very brown. This is called a roux, which is the base for the gumbo.

3. When roux is brown, stir in meat. Stir until meat is seared. Pour in about 1 quart water and stir well. Add onion soup, chopped celery, bay leaf, chopped onion, garlic and chicken bouillon cubes. Simmer until meat begins to get tender, keeping enough water in pot to keep from sticking. You must let liquid cook low before adding seafood, as much water cooks out of shrimp and the gumbo will be watery and tasteless.

4. When meat begins to get tender and liquid is low, add shrimp. Bring to boil and boil approximately 20 minutes. Add oysters, including liquid, and file’ and bring to rolling boil again. Stir to dissolve file’, then cut off and let stand about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve over rice in bowls.