First things first, I’m going to go ahead and make an announcement for the gumbo purists out there: this recipe is my adaptation of gumbo, made the way that I grew up eating it in Charleston, South Carolina, with the addition of okra and shrimp because we can’t have gumbo down here without okra in it. So before you arrive in my inbox with pitchforks, please keep that in mind, haha!

I didn’t use andouille sausage because I like less spice and prefer the smokiness of using smoked sausage, but use whatever kind of sausage you like and have on hand. This dish was a little bit of a splurge because of the crab meat and the shrimp, but the week I made it, everything I needed was on sale. It was like the universe made sure I was able to get this gumbo done because I was craving it.

This one is a low and slow recipe and for good reason. This is worth the extra work and wait. Trust me.

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

Cook time: 1.5 hours

Serves: 6-8

3 tbsp duck fat, bacon fat, or vegetable oil

1 12oz package smoked sausage, cut into half moons and rendered in fat

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 large green pepper, de-seeded and diced

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

2 tsp cajun seasoning blend

2 small bay leaves

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 12oz package okra, ends cut and thinly sliced

1 cup cooked chicken or turkey, cubed

12 cups smoked turkey stock (see note)

1 tsp liquid smoke seasoning

1 8oz package lump crab meat

1lb large raw shrimp, tails removed, peeled, and de-veined

Cooked rice, for serving

Hot sauce, for serving

Note: if you don’t have any smoked turkey stock, you can easily substitute chicken stock or vegetable stock. I had some on hand from a smoked turkey I made for another recipe. I highly suggest using a homemade stock (nothing but some bones and veggie scraps in a pressure cooker) or store-bought bone broth, since the additional body of the thicker stock will give the gumbo a nice richness.

In a large pot, add the duck fat and sauté the smoked sausage over medium heat until most of the fat has rendered and the sauce its crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Once the sausage is crispy, remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and then sprinkle the flour to the pot. Using a whisk or spoon, constantly stir until you get a toasty looking roux. A little past a peanut butter shade of color, making sure not to burn the roux, it should smell nutty and almost burnty. This process should take roughly 10-15 minutes, making sure you’re stirring often.

Once the roux is ready, add the diced onion, sliced celery, and diced green pepper. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, cajun seasoning, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika. Stir well to make sure everything is mixed up together. Then add the garlic paste and stir, cooking for another minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Then, stir in the sliced okra.

When the okra starts turning a bright green color, slowly stir in the stock. Season with the liquid smoke, taste and adjust your seasonings to your liking. Add the cooked sliced sausage and the cubed chicken or turkey meat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for at least 35 minutes.

The longer it cooks, the more it’ll reduce and concentrate in flavor. Once the 35 minutes has passed, fold in the crab meat and shrimp to warm through. When the shrimp are pink and no longer translucent, the gumbo is ready to eat.

Serve with cooked white rice and your favorite hot sauce.

¡Buen provecho!