Smoked Turkey Gumbo

[redchaserron]

Had a big annual fishing trip planned with a group of guys from about 5 different states. I always cook a gumbo for it and decided to take it up a notch and make a smoked bird gumbo. I smoked a turkey, a family pack of wings and 2 chickens. One of the chickens was to eat at home but the carcass went in the stock with the rest. I used a bunch of chicken wings because about a year ago I learned that wings have a lot of collagen which makes for a rich stock. Brined the birds as normal and seasoned, loaded the pit.

The wings got pulled first and went into the stock

The chickens and turkey were each pulled when they were done. Hot and fast it took a little under 4 hours

Carved the birds and reserved the meat, put the bones and skin in the stock for about 5 hours skimming the grease as I went. I also added the turkey drippings

You know your stock is rich when it turns to gelatin in the fridge

A few days later, first you make a roux

Good and dark like my wretched soul

Added trinity and the stock and started seasoning some. Got it tasting good before adding any meat. Between the turkey and chicken I had 7 pounds of bonelesss meat. Used that as well as 4.5 pound of Rabideaux’s Smiked sausage and 3 pounds of fresh Chaurice sausage from Poche’s. Browned the sausage well first and deglazed the pan, that went in the gumbo too Added the poultry near the end since it was already cooked.

Just about right

Then my big secret, let it sit in the fridge for a few days. Finally, best gumbo I ever ate (and I’ve eaten literally tons)

 

[Big George's BBQ]

YUM I would love a bowl of that Since you did the birds in the pit I imagine you could enter this in the comfort food Throwdown thats going on

 

[thirdeye]

Kudos on the color of the roux, and using a Magnalite. :clap2:

 

[lunchman]

Wow, just wow! Not sure I could wait that many days but the results are awesome.

And to second George's recommendation, a definite comfort food throwdown entry.

 

[redchaserron]

Wow, just wow! Not sure I could wait that many days but the results are awesome.

And to second George's recommendation, a definite comfort food throwdown entry.

Done, thank y'all for the suggestion. And don't worry, some was sampled as soon as it was ready...but a few days in the fridge makes it much better.

 

[Stingerhook]

I really do like to fish, looks great.

 

[frognot]

A friend from NOLA used to tell me "You put your foot in it!" when she liked my gumbo. You definitely did that, brother.

I'm looking forward to having a turkey carcass for stock next week. Hate to admit I've never been patient enough to get roux that dark.

 

[cholloway]

That one is totally outta the park!!!

Let us know how the fishing trip goes.

 

[redchaserron]

That one is totally outta the park!!!

Let us know how the fishing trip goes.

The trip was this past week. The fishing did not suck.

 

[Smoking Piney]

That gumbo looks like it will stick to your ribs. :-D

Awesome roux and great looking cook all around! :thumb:

 

[Fooball]

Your time and effort looks like it paid off...great looking gumbo.

Were any of those reds slot size keepers for a little blackened red fish?

 

[redchaserron]

Your time and effort looks like it paid off...great looking gumbo.

Were any of those reds slot size keepers for a little blackened red fish?

We killed one small fish and I made a great Ceviche with it.

 

[Bush438]

Really great cook and some great fishing too!

 

[cowgirl]

Awesome!

 

[TBASS]

Dude, you are straight killin’ me. Great post. One of these days I am going to get up enough nerve to take my roux to that color. I may just have to ruin a few in order to get the hang of it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[redchaserron]

A friend from NOLA used to tell me "You put your foot in it!" when she liked my gumbo. You definitely did that, brother.

I'm looking forward to having a turkey carcass for stock next week. Hate to admit I've never been patient enough to get roux that dark.

I go hot and fast and a dark roux in about 15 minutes. Learned that from Paul Prudhomme. Get the pan hot add oil, get the oil real hot ad flour, stir like hell. Two tips

1. Use the bathroom before you start because once it’s going you can’t stop for a second.

2. Use a whisk, you have to stir pretty vigorously, a spoon will splash you with hot roux a whisk won’t.

C. Have your trinity chopped before you start, when you hit the right color add the trinity immediately to stop the cook.

 

[ModelMaker]

I watched a video some time ago that preached making the roux in CI DO in the oven without hardly touching it.
Ed

 

[oldgfbbq]

The gumbo is definitely the real deal. Never done the hot and fast, but certainly will try.

As a T&T employee, I'm biased toward our fly rods and Bayou City Angler is one of our dealers. Regardless of equipment, those are nice fish. I'm curious about line weights and leader set up if you can share.

 

[redchaserron]

The gumbo is definitely the real deal. Never done the hot and fast, but certainly will try.

As a T&T employee, I'm biased toward our fly rods and Bayou City Angler is one of our dealers. Regardless of equipment, those are nice fish. I'm curious about line weights and leader set up if you can share.

I’m throwing 9 weights SA Grand Slam line. I build my leaders to turn over heavy flies. Using Ande Mono, 4 ft of 60#, just under 2 ft of 40, just over a foot of 20, class tippet of 15#, if I’m going to be around a lot of oysters I’ll add a 12” shock of 30. I’ll never kill a fish for a record but I fish to IGFA standard just to challenge myself. I let a lot of >30# redfish set up as above.

Last year I was on a trip to Belize and Dylan from Bayou City Anglers was there at the same time and we got chummy.

 

[redchaserron]

Correction to above. I’m mostly throwing 8 wts and that should read “I LAND a lot of 30# + fish” I fat fingered that