Turtle Gumbo

Ka Honu · January 28, 2010, 06:24:25 AM

Well, it's not really turtle gumbo but it's made by a turtle - close enough.

Been home all week doing "post trip" chores and either eating out or making "fast food" so I decided yesterday would be a Gumbo Day. Every day should probably be a Gumbo Day, but I only get there about once a month.

I scrounged through the freezer and found some Andouille (from Wayne Jacobs in LaPlace, LA), my last half pound of Tasso (courtesy of my OBS - gotta find some pork blade steaks on sale and make more), a bag of chicken thighs, and a few quarts of turkey stock. I got out the Trinity stuff and did some prep work...

Browned the meats and threw them in the gumbo pot...

Browned the Trinity (except for half the onions) and added that and then the dry ingredients and stock...

Made my roux (slightly lighter than usual but it seemed the way to go...

... "set" it with the rest of the onions...

... put it all together, brought it to a boil and let it simmer. Eventually I took out the chicken, stripped the bones, and tossed the meat back in along with some wine (Thank you, Justin Wilson). About an hour before serving, I "touched it up" with some other odds and ends (hot sauce and secret receipt things). Decided to skip the filé powder and let people sprinkle it on if they wanted.

Added a couple of friends, some beer, a little rice, a little homemade (well, machine made) sourdough...

La vie est belle!

ArnieM · January 28, 2010, 06:28:25 AM

Looks good KH, especially for stuff you had around the house.

Justin Wilson is dead isn't he?

Ka Honu · January 28, 2010, 06:51:30 AM

Yeah, he died about 8 or 10 years ago but he was the first cook I ever saw dump a bottle of wine into a pot of gumbo. Don't do it all the time but it's adds a nice "flair" occasionally.

KyNola · January 28, 2010, 06:55:16 AM

KH, that is some good looking gumbo. Gotta love that Wayne Jacob's Andouille. Supposed to get between 4 and 8 inches of snow tomorrow so that would be a good dish to have on hand.

Jan's making red beans and rice for the snow day. She makes THE best red beans and rice.

Way to go KH!

pensrock · January 28, 2010, 07:12:55 AM

I always loved watching Justin Wilson, he was great.
Turtle Gumbo, you had me going, I love turtle soup. Have not had any in years, bet it would be great in gumbo.

KyNola · January 28, 2010, 09:08:51 AM

Pens,
He got my attention with the "turtle" gumbo too. Jan and I like turtle soup too. Getting harder to find genuine turtle soup these days. Many chefs are subbing veal for turtle meat but still calling it turtle soup.

KyNola

iceman · January 28, 2010, 09:11:40 AM

Quote from: KyNola on January 28, 2010, 06:55:16 AM
KH, that is some good looking gumbo. Gotta love that Wayne Jacob's Andouille. Supposed to get between 4 and 8 inches of snow tomorrow so that would be a good dish to have on hand.

Jan's making red beans and rice for the snow day. She makes THE best red beans and rice.

Way to go KH!

Okay, how do I get Jan's recipe? I love red beans and rice. ::) ;D

KyNola · January 28, 2010, 09:18:19 AM

My pleasure Ice.

Just click right here http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=11947.0

I posted the recipe a while back while you no doubt were up on the North slope.

Enjoy my friend.

KyNola

iceman · January 28, 2010, 09:21:38 AM

THANKS KyNola !!!
Pat and Ann

seemore · January 28, 2010, 10:09:38 AM

KH, the gumbo looks great, and so does the sourdough bread!
Mrs

Ka Honu · January 28, 2010, 11:01:29 AM

Quote from: KyNola on January 28, 2010, 06:55:16 AMGotta love that Wayne Jacob's Andouille.

It's my fave (and better than Jacob's by far). I may not make it out to the parishes this year and am thinking of stocking up at Cochon instead. Have you tried their stuff?

Quote from: pensrock on January 28, 2010, 07:12:55 AM...Turtle Gumbo, you had me going...

Sorry to have been misleading (but not that sorry).

Quote from: KyNola on January 28, 2010, 09:08:51 AM...Many chefs are subbing veal for turtle meat but still calling it turtle soup.

Not a new concept - Mock turtle soup dates back over 200 years and was traditionally made from calf parts (usually the nastier parts, but still calf/veal).

pensrock · January 28, 2010, 11:16:34 AM

A guy I knew made great turtle soup. He said it took an 8 gallon keg of beer to clean the turtle before getting the meat. I asked about all that beer and he said by time the turtle was clean enough to use, he could drink all that beer. ;D ;D
Then he said cleaning the turtle, shell and all was the hardest part to doing the soup, if its not cleaned right your soup will taste like swamp water. I have never seen him do it so I can only go by his soup, its great. He would walk in the creek along the bank reaching into holes feeling for turtles, he said to grab the snapper turtles by the tail. I think he was nuts but that how he caught them. :o

classicrockgriller · January 31, 2010, 04:59:45 PM

Ka Hona, Gumbo looks good.

And the title made my mouse click on it too.

Interesting thread.

Tiny Tim · January 31, 2010, 05:04:50 PM

Took me 3 days to open the thread due to the title. Still ain't gonna make it myself, too many 'gredients I don't care for (at least 3 ;D ).

Pachanga · February 09, 2010, 06:40:59 AM

Ka Honu,

I missed this the first time around. Looks like you have some coonass in your background. Everyone has a different take on gumbo. I like the way the turtle thinks.

Very Nice.

A turtle may be slow but he gets the job done and making a roux takes a lot of patient slow stirring.

Pachanga