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I would tell you to get the rig. I only do a couple crawfish boils a year and it is totally worth it. You can do so much with it, from crawfish and shrimp or crab boils, to frying a turkey, to fish/shrimp/hush puppy/everything in your pantry frying. Get a rig low to the ground with a longer tube from the regulator to the burner if possible. I have an old rig that stands about 2.5 feet off the ground and it works but is a little dangerous, especially with oil and kids running around. You will need different equipment for each function: 1. Crawfish/shrimp boil - big rear end pot with basket, paddle, strainer on a 3 foot handle. 2. Turkey - tall, thinner pot with turkey stand and hanger. 3. Small fry - short, wide pot with basket or 6" bamboo skimmer, and thermometer (a good glass one, not those crap ones that look like meat thermometers) You can get pretty low fire on most rigs but this will be a function of your regulator.
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May 9, 2014 16:33
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I never freeze just the tails. I usually make something (gumbo, étouffée, Monica) and freeze that.
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May 11, 2014 17:51
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FWIW I've never removed it from the heat and never burned my roux or the trinity. Though I have moved to adding the onions first, and cooking them down for 5-10 minutes before adding the rest. I also gradually move from a high heat to a medium throughout the roux process. As far as stock, I typically I end up using 2-3 quarts then maybe adding a cup or two more stock or water (or oyster liquor in seafood gumbo), like holttho says. This allows adjustment from a relatively thick gumbo to a soupier one. A tip on stock--get it hot before you add it and go one ladle at a time. Don't just dump it all on there. Mix each ladleful in and you can watch it come together. This will help keep it from clumping up. Also I dispute that recipe in one respect: you can't overcook shrimp in gumbo as long as you leave them in there long enough. I like to add a handful of small (41-50) peeled shrimp when I still have 1-1.5 hours to go. They get real small and loaded with flavor and they melt in your mouth. I add a bunch of larger guys toward the end for the big mouthful of beautiful shrimp but those earlier ones turn out great.
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Feb 26, 2015 17:20
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Megasabin posted:Just attempted the gumbo. It's cooking now. I never managed to get the roux chocolate brown. It ended up being dark yellow-tanish, and the consistency ended up more like porridge, so I think I put too much flour in? I'm currently in the 4 hour simmer phase, and it looks like the attached image below. Not sure how badly I messed it up, but hopefully it will be edible. Any tips for next time on how to get a dark brown roux? Your roux is undercooked. You've made a big pot of bechamel. Did you use oil or lard, and what was your ratio of flour to fat? 1:1 should be plenty. And like Zaepho says, roux-cooking is a multiple-beer affair. Like 2-3 beers, or as some old timers like to say, both sides of an LP. Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 00:02 on Mar 1, 2015 |
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Feb 26, 2015 23:58
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I almost always use oil at this point (none of the ducks I shoot have much fat on them) and I almost always go with 1 cup oil, 1 cup flour, 2-3 quarts stock to end up with about 8-10 servings of gumbo. Either way, the answer is yes--cook it longer and it will get darker. If you are concerned about burning, set aside an extra 45 minutes and cook it on a lower temperature. I cook a gumbo roux in 45 minutes or less, most of it on high heat, but I am constantly stirring with one hand and beer-drinking in the other. The thickness you seem to have from the pictures comes more from the amount of stock you've added. If I have two cups of flour I am thinking I need a whole lot more stock.
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Feb 27, 2015 00:16
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5MinuteButtermilk posted:Should roux have a smell while cooking? I made roux for the first time today, and it went from smelling sort of greasy to smelling like burnt popcorn. I'm reasonably sure that the burnt popcorn smell is because I burned it, but should it have that greasy smell? I used 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of flour. Popcorn is normal and awesome.
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Feb 27, 2015 21:05
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feelz good man posted:
Oh man. One time a piece of roux jumped out and landed on my foot. I immediately swiped it off but the damage was done. Gave me a nickel sized blister and I couldn't wear shoes for two weeks. I never make roux in flip flops anymore.
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Mar 1, 2015 14:22
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DO THIS IN A DEEPASS POT BECAUSE IT'S NOT CALLED CAJUN NAPALM FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES. IT WILL BURN AND STICK TO YOUR SKIN
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Here's a list of crawfish spots. I'll post a more detailed restaurant guide with some newer places in a bit. http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2015/02/crawfish_crayfish_price.html You can actually buy boiled crawfish by the pound at the Rouse's supermarket on Tchoupitoulas Street, too. Only on the weekends though. Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 10:52 on Mar 8, 2015 |
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Mar 8, 2015 10:49
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I don't know if you are serious but the dude is coming to New Orleans for a vacation. I seriously doubt he is looking to roll up his pants and wade around in ditches looking for crawfish, which he then can try to boil on the hot plate of his hotel room coffee machine. The old-line spots That Works mentioned are fun and good but they are more about the experience than the food, especially Galatoire's. You need a coat at Galatoire's (they have lenders but don't be that guy). As far as newer restaurants I would recommend. Cochon (and its casual neighbor restaurant, Butcher) - Everyone I've taken to Cochon is blown away. The fried alligator and roasted oysters are awesome. I think the oysters are actually better than Drago's (they're a different preparation--Drago's is great too). Butcher is a cool sandwich place for lunch. Absolutely go to Cochon if you can. Peche - new seafood restaurant from the same guy who owns Cochon (Donald Link). Both Cochon and Peche won Beard awards. This place is difficult to get a table at so you will absolutely need reservations. Jacques-Imo's - a bit out of the way but pretty classic place. No reservations so be ready to drink a bit at the dive bar next door while you wait. NOLA - Emeril's place in the quarter which is actually pretty good despite being owned by Emeril. Luke - french bistro type restaurant owned by John Besh in the CBD (downtown). Borgne - another Besh restaurant in the CBD in the lobby of the Hyatt by the Superdome. Herbsaint - Donald Link's flagship restaurant, cajun/french, very good. Pretty upscale. If you want to spend money and go absolutely apeshit try Revolution in the Royal Sonesta. The place is insane "haute cajun" lmao (and prices to match). Po Boy spots - for my money the best one is Parkway Bakery & Tavern, followed by Mahony's, then Domilise's. Crabby Jack's is a ways out but has the best fried shrimp po boys, they put like a pound of shrimp on them. I mean there are so many other places you can try that are not necessarily cajun/creole. On Magazine Street: Lilette (french), Shaya (israeli), La Petite Grocery (french), Bistro Daisy (Frenchish), Magazin (vietnamese, bánh mì, pho and bún), Pizza Domenica (great unique pizza and other italian), Baru (tapas), Bouligny Tavern (cool watering hole/bistro type place). On Freret Street: Company Burger, Dat Dog (alligator sausage!), High Hat (diner), Ankora (neapolitan pizza and other italian). You want real Viet food you can go to Gretna to Tan Dinh, freakin awesome.
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Mar 8, 2015 19:43
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I don't even notice the vein. But when you are paying $120 for 20 lbs might as well go ahead and pay the extra $8.
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May 27, 2015 17:48
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The whole process of eating a crawfish takes about two seconds--twist off the head, suck it, peel one segment and pop the tail in your mouth. Some people skip one or more of those steps. Even when I'm peeling tails I don't pull out the vein unless it's really nasty.
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May 27, 2015 23:00
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I want more details. Who wanted what with the spices? Did Osceola want it too spicy, or too weak? Or did he want to put filé in okra gumbo? Are tomatoes "spices?" Was it seafood gumbo and somebody suggested Old Bay (get a rope)? Also since we are on the subject of Cajun arguments I feel it appropriate to post this: http://www.wwltv.com/story/news/local/lafourche-terrebonne/2015/06/09/houma-tank-top/28751943/ As my buddy from Houma put it, "Any time you start a story with 'Cookie Pierre said she was browsing the crawfish selection' you are bound to see some fireworks."
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Jul 5, 2015 20:16
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Comb Your Beard posted:My gumbo spice mixture is equal parts Old Bay and Rex Creole seasoning. The logic being the strong celery seed flavor in Old Bay goes well with the seafood and the actual celery being in the Trinity. And the Rex had a nice ingredient list, more complex than Tony Chachere's. They're both salty, so you basically salt-to-taste. I just make my own but I don't really have anything against Old Bay.
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Jul 6, 2015 02:14
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You can still boil shrimp! Look at these bastards, size of small cats   Beer for scale 
Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Jul 12, 2015 |
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Jul 12, 2015 18:19
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If you can't make shrimp stock snd can't find it at whole foods, you can find the little shrimp bouillon cubes at an Asian or Hispanic market.
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Jul 13, 2015 03:24
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Dr. Gitmo Moneyson posted:Also about how much stock is a "Coupla things" in people-units? Depends how thick you want it but with 2 cups of flour in the roux I would think you want 3-4 quarts. Start with two and add as needed. Keep in mind it will thicken up with time.
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Jul 14, 2015 13:53
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Lol gumbo isn't diet food bruh
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Jul 15, 2015 04:33
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Dr. Gitmo Moneyson posted:Okay I have more gumbo questions: Black flakes are not "inevitable" but also not necessarily a reason to throw out the whole roux. I don't like to see them with oil but if you are rendering anything for fat or browning chicken or something then you will always have some black things. Reddish color is not typical for me. What did you use for fat? The progression is usually white--peanut butter--milk chocolate--dark chocolate. I add the onions somewhere between the last two and caramelize them, then the rest of the trinity and garlic when it's nice and dark.
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Jul 19, 2015 22:31
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In honor of a new football (and gumbo) season, I made a shrimp and andouille gumbo. I like to throw some gumbo crabs in there to sweeten it up. It really helps smooth out the roux, which when very dark can be pretty bitter without the crab and shrimp. Here are the main ingredients (missing the andouille).  There's been lots of talk about roux, so here is the Formula 1 roux cooking method. The roux was 1.5 cups flour to 1 cup vegetable oil. This is what it looked like right out of the gate, oil brought to a shimmer then flour whisked in.  We are cooking this at high heat, whisking constantly, gradually decreasing the heat. It should be ready to go in 30 minutes. Five minutes in.  Ten minutes. Beer for color scale.  Fifteen minutes. Heat to medium.  Twenty minutes. Time to put in the onions.   Another 5 minutes to caramelize the onions.  Toss in the garlic and the rest of the trinity.  Low-medium heat for another 5 minutes until you get a deep, rich chocolate color.  Add your stock and get it combined. I used about 3 quarts of homemade fish/shellfish stock. Add the crabs and half of the shrimp and simmer for 30-45 minutes.  I like to sauté the andouille to get some of the grease out, then sauté the okra to get some of the snot out. Add all of that and then simmer another 30 minutes. Add the remaining shrimp, chopped green onions, and chopped parsley, cook 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice.  Yes, I have left some stuff out. There is some fresh thyme in there along with salt and pepper. Seasoning is kind of a personal thing. Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 21:56 on Aug 15, 2015 |
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Aug 15, 2015 21:41
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Nostrum posted:I etouffee'd! Looks good to me! That Works posted:You guys are killing it. Made a chicken and sausage gumbo this week for a gathering but didn't get pics as it was pretty standard. Only difference from Phils is that I cook my trinity separate from the roux. Done it both ways and just found that to be feasible for my own kitchen setup. I've never done it that way. Mind giving a run down how/when you add the vegetables, and why you like that way better?
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Aug 16, 2015 02:32
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I went fishing down in Barataria and caught some great redfish, stopped at a shack on the way home because my buddy said the crab was a steal. I picked up some lump for the fish ($20 lb for pieces about the size of lemon wedges). Big peeled claws too. But after a night at the camp and a day drinking on the water, I was a little buzzed shall we say, and I didn't realize the whole frozen crabs I bought for gumbo use were soft shelled. I'm not a huge soft shelled crab fan, but anyone used these in gumbo before? Google tells me you can do it, and it will be nice to have whole edible crabs instead of just skimpy crab carcasses in the gumbo. Just curious if anyone has any experience with it. I would probably not let them go the whole time, maybe add them late in the process. Or make some stock with them, use the stock, then add them at the very end?
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Sep 2, 2015 01:24
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Yeah Donald Link has a recipe for seafood gumbo that uses whole crabs to make a "stock" just for the gumbo you are cooking. http://leitesculinaria.com/78819/recipes-seafood-gumbo.html Crabs don't get more than 5-7 minutes, just enough to get the flava outtem
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Sep 2, 2015 02:10
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That Works posted:That looks nice. That picture sure looks appetizing, right? It's on the cover of Link's cookbook and is found inside the book right next to that gumbo recipe.  Weird thing is, the recipe has no okra, no green onions, no parsley, and no andouille/sausage, all of which are clearly visible. There is no recipe in the book that corresponds to the gumbo on the cover and in the book. I mean granted the parsley and green onion are basically garnish and it's gumbo--just add sausage and okra as you like, but I always thought that was a bit of bullshit to put that on your cover and not have a recipe for it in the book.
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Sep 2, 2015 16:31
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Fo3 posted:OK, making mine right now, just chicken and chorizo. Got it to that dark brown colour where you can just start to smell it. feelz good man posted:
Phil Moscowitz posted:Oh man. One time a piece of roux jumped out and landed on my foot. I immediately swiped it off but the damage was done. Gave me a nickel sized blister and I couldn't wear shoes for two weeks. I never make roux in flip flops anymore.
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Sep 18, 2015 13:36
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You're probably right. Are you in the U.S.? If so I love that you're making gumbo at 6:00 am. If not I love that you're making gumbo outside the U.S.!
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Sep 18, 2015 13:43
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Keep working on it--it's a long process but you will get quicker and better as you try different things. Took me a while before I got to the point where my cajun father-in-law said it was as good as any he's made (now he asks me to make it for him when they visit, which I consider the pinnacle of compliments). Any fat or impurities that form on the surface should be skimmed off. I would consider not taking the roux as far--adding the vegetables and/or liquid when it's the color of milk chocolate rather than the deep dark brown really won't hurt it and you will avoid any chance of burning or getting it too bitter. Also, the less you cook the roux, the more thickening power it has, which seems to have been a problem with yours. e. If you really want that dark color but you don't want to take the roux too far, you can add a couple tablespoons of this stuff, though if a coonass sees you doing it you will be forever branded a cheater: 
Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Sep 18, 2015 |
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Sep 18, 2015 15:29
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That Works posted:You say that yet every one of my friends mothers seemingly had a bottle of that lying around in easy reach in their kitchens....  There may be one of those in my kitchen as well, in the spice drawer, right by the stove where it can come and go easily, quickly, and without bothering anyone.
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Sep 18, 2015 17:04
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I have three friends having kids in the span of a week and I'm going to make a huge batch of chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo. I have my go-to but I want to try something different. Does anyone have any good suggestions for a recipe or tweaks?
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Sep 20, 2015 15:59
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Gumbo z'herbes is probably a little out there for this. I love maque choux, good suggestion. Maybe some other ideas for chicken and sausage gumbo recipes?
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Sep 20, 2015 16:50
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That Works posted:Eh, I just kinda wing it (heh) each time for that with whatever I got. Hopefully someone else has a good suggestion. I love duck gumbo but the ducks I usually shoot have hardly any fat on their breasts. I need a farm...
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Sep 20, 2015 17:06
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Nhilist posted:We did grillades and grits last night, went pretty heavy on the sauce... That looks awesome. One of my favorites.
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Sep 21, 2015 14:54
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oh and the sauce for the grillades as well.
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Nooner posted:I love using Tony's Chacere on stuff its delicious! One of my favorite things is to first add some lime and cilantro to give the meat im marinading a "Latin" kick then instead of using regular salt to use Tony's for that great Cajun flavoring If you're up for it, make your own Creole seasoning! Here's what I do: 2 Tbs celery salt 2 Tbs fresh ground pepper 1 Tbs paprika 1 Tbs kosher salt 1 Tbs garlic powder 1 Tbs onion powder 3 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp ground thyme Feel free to double the recipe. Way less salty than Tony's and great for marinades.
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Sep 24, 2015 01:20
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That Works posted:Oh no not this again. That one's based on a recipe from one of Besh's books. Lol at the new avatar BTW
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Sep 24, 2015 13:24
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Yeah I think I am going to start using fresh ground celery seed and adjusting the kosher salt, this has been a good conversation.
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Oct 1, 2015 17:03
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Folse's Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine is my Cajun cooking bible. It's an amazing book, though I think it's out of print. But Prudhomme's etouffee recipe is the base for my and my Cajun father in law's crawfish etouffee and it's one of the best things I have ever eaten. Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Oct 11, 2015 |
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Oct 11, 2015 22:09
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That looks good, are those oysters single file? If so they're huge.
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Oct 19, 2015 21:12
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Mods please change name to Duckfat Roux Awesome gumbo BTW
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Nov 1, 2015 04:10
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Trinity is a base of flavors obtained with bell peppers, celery, and onions. Its a modified mirepoix, the French mix of carrots, celery, and onions. There are similar aromatic mixes at the bottom of most cuisines (many Asian foods use garlic, ginger, and green onions). Yes you can substitute but you will end up with something different, sometimes missing a very important flavor element. What you are talking about will be fine. The onion, celery, and bell pepper are there. It will taste a little different from the carrot but in a gumbo I doubt you will notice that much.
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Nov 9, 2015 13:53
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I went back and the only confusing part is that you say "Cajun dishes especially use this bastardized mirepoix replacing Carrots for Bell Pepper along with Celery and Onions" which seems to imply that the carrots replace the bell pepper when you meant the opposite. Then you talk about some recipes adding other stuff in addition to the trinity, which seems clear to me but perhaps it could be worded differently? Coyote the biggest issue with your question is you use "parts" and so I have no idea what you mean by "one part bell pepper and jalapeño." How many jalapeños and how many bell peppers?
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Nov 9, 2015 15:34
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Use red if you want!
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Dec 15, 2015 01:09
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