Ingredients:

1 onion

3 stalks of celery

1 green pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 cup canola oil

1 cup flour

1 darker beer

2 cups stock

3 chicken thighs

1 pack Andouille sausage

2 bay leaves

Salt & Pepper

Cayenne pepper

Cajun Seasoning

Paprika

White rice (for serving)

 

The roux

Start with 1 cup oil (I used canola oil, but others work too) in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add flour until the consistency of wet sand. Stir constantly until roux is a rich chocolatey brown color (i.e. the color of a Hershey's Chocolate bar).

 

The gumbo

Once the roux is ready, immediately add the diced onions, green pepper, and celery (aka "the trinity") to the roux and let the vegetables soften for a few minutes.

Add beer and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.

Add garlic, spices (I used T-Don’s Cajun along with red pepper flakes (since I couldn’t find the cayenne), and bay leaves.

Slowly stir in the chicken stock (I used fresh made turkey stock).

Add Andouille sausage.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs and brown those in a separate skillet.

Add the partially cooked/browned thighs directly to the gumbo pot to finish cooking and break apart naturally.

Simmer on low for a minimum of 3 hours.

Serve with white rice on the side.