“Fried” Turkey & Sausage Gumbo Christmas 2017

12/18/2017 – Mary made this using the broth and meat from the carcass of the turkey I dry “fried” yesterday in the Big Easy. After everyone left,  I boiled the carcass that had a little meat left on it and before the cook had been rubbed with the Creole Seasoning. This gumbo turned out great and far better than any we have ever made. Froze some and took to the farm over the holidays. It warmed up great. 

This cook was inspired by Chef Robert Barker’s recipe on page 41 of Kit Whol’s book New Orleans Classic Gumbos and Soups.

1 C flour and 2/3 C corn oil to make the roux.
8 C turkey broth from the turkey that had been rubbed with Creole Seasoning.
2 large yellow onions chopped
2 bell peppers chopped. [Recipe called for 3 but only had 2.]
2 links Green Onion Sausage from Bergeron’s sauteed in oil
6 pieces of our homemade tasso
2-8 oz. cans of Karbach Hopadillo IPA ale. [Strong smell that was worrisome but it was lost in all the other flavors. Use something else next time.]
3T Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 C Chrystal Hot Sauce
About 2 T garlic minced
1T dried Basil
1T dried Oregano
1T dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Cayenne
Leftover turkey

  1. Made the roux to a medium chocolate brown in the large blue enameled dutch oven. Added the veggies. Stirred them into the roux.
  2. In a separate skillet saute until garlic became fragrant sauteed the:
    1. green onion sausage
    2. 6 pieces of tasso cut into smaller pieces
    3. garlic
  3. Add beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce and contents of the skillet.
  4. Poured in the turkey stock and everything else to simmer.
  5. Mary had a doctors appointment so the above was assembled quickly. Therefore, she did not saute the veggies to tender as usual. We liked it better this way.
  6. After it simmered very slowly for about 4 hours added the leftover turkey when Mary returned home from the Doctor’s appointment.

Made rice with remaining turkey stock and served topped with chopped fresh green onions.

3/25/2018 – Followed this recipe fairly closely although began with the carcass from a turkey that, the day before, had been spatchcocked and seasoned under the skin and top with about 50/50 Kit’s Creole Seasoning and 5Pogs. Once it had reached 150 in the breast in the convection oven we wrapped it loosely and let rest. After about 10 minutes I removed the leg-thigh and found the leg joint at the thigh bloody, Put the legs and thighs back into the hot oven for about 15 minutes.

Yesterday we had also made giblets with the neck, back, gizzard and heart. (feed the liver to Lady, Duke and Kelley’s three mutts while she is showing her house to potential buyers this first weekend of it being on the market.)

A couple hours later pulled the meat from all the bones except the drums. Cover the bones with water in the big aluminum kettle and boiled slowly for about 2 hours.

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