Bonjour Mes Amis! Habari Marafiki Zangu! Halito, Ikana! Hello My Friends!

We’re going to make chicken and sausage gumbo also known as Gumbo Ya-Ya and we’re going to make it with BEER! Welcome to Gumbo Ya-Ya à la bière. That “à la bière” part is Cajun for “with beer!” Actually, it’s French for “with beer,” but ain’t nobody making rules here today…not with language and not with our Gumbo. This is the please-everyone gumbo template recipe that can be created for most you plan to feed and modified for those souls who want to live with a bit of zest and Zydeco! Let’s get started.

I grew up in Louisiana. And, like “jambalaya, and a crawfish pie” we love our “filé gumbo!” Every family in Louisiana has their go-to gumbo recipe. And here in my 6th decade on this God’s green Earth, one of my regrets in life was not cooking with many of my long since passed family folk. They didn’t need a written recipe for the know-how they had stored in their heads. Most of them recipes and know-how went with them into that God’s green Earth.

Many of my living kin have left Louisiana over the years; but you never really get Louisiana out of ya. My folks have taken their versions of “Louisiana” off to distant lands such as Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Idaho.

That Idaho knucklehead…well…that’s yours truly.

And, it’s okay that we Idahoans cook a good gumbo…and even y’all up over there north of the Mason–Dixon Line. Gumbo is for everybody. Gumbo isn’t originally a Louisiana dish. Well, hush yo’ mouth! Nope, it’s true! Gumbo made it across the Atlantic by means of the heart and soul of many unwilling passengers on Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Dutch ships bound for the Americas during the era of transatlantic slavery.

Consider the word “gumbo.” How did the word “gumbo” come to the English language? It came on ships carrying the multitudes who spoke one of many Bantu languages. Those folks speaking one of those Bantu languages, kept calling their pot of stew, “ki ngombo.” What he or she was saying was, “okra.” And, over time, the Bantu word, “ki ngombo” (meaning “okra”) was picked up by those who didn’t speak any Bantu language and eventually that pot of thick and stringy stew full of “this, that, and the other” became known as “gumbo.”

Here in the Americas…way back when…there was no okra. During that time, some of that area of (what is now known as) the Southern United States was occupied by many different folks from many different lands.

Enter the Acadians. Back then, how did those Acadians thicken their soups and stews? Just so happens there were these folks already living down in that area and were known as Choctaw. The Choctaw folks were smart; they’d use the leaves of a Sassafras tree to thicken their stews. Like those folks speaking Bantu languages and eating that thick and stringy pot of “gumbo,” the Choctaw were eating a very similar looking, thick and stringy pot of stew as well. But, them Choctaw didn’t have any okra. Unlike okra, sassafras trees are indigenous to America. The Choctaw folks would use the leaves of the sassafras tree to create a thickener. The Acadians had a term for the herb the Choctaw were using to create their pots of thick and stringy stew, “filé.” To the English-speaking folks, “filé” means “spun” or “to spin.”

If we look at the thickening nature of either okra or filé powder, we notice a thickness that runs kind of “stringy-like” (stringy…spin or spun) when scooped with a spoon and allowed to drip back into the bowl.

Gumbo is a very folklore-ish dish. There’s a lot of history behind this recipe. And, with all that history, gumbo eventually became part of the culture of Louisiana and the Cajun folks. And that’s where we’ll let that tale lay.

We’re going to cook this gumbo Cajun style. And Cajun don’t mean spicy… Cajun dishes are well seasoned but not necessarily spicy. There really isn’t any rule to creating an authentic Cajun gumbo but one: the recipe must include the “holy trinity.” We’re going to prepare this gumbo with the “holy trinity” and we’re adding the “pope.” And, to “stir the pot,” we’re going to citify this gumbo Creole-style by adding some tomatoes.

For all y’all unfamiliar with the “holy trinity” and adding the “pope,” we’re going to cook this recipe with onions, bell peppers, and celery and we’re going to “add the pope” which means were adding garlic as well. The true ratio for the “holy trinity” is 2 parts onion, 1 part green bell pepper, and 1 part celery.

On top of that, we’re adding tomatoes. You see, Cajun dishes and Creole dishes are similar and yet different. If you cook “Cajun,” you’re cooking country food. Think of Cajun cooking as, “look what I found for dinner in the back yard.” It’s rustic and creative cooking and usually is a 3-pot meal…we’re cooking two: the gumbo and rice. I’ll leave it up to you to decide on a vegetable side dish. On the other hand, Creole dishes are considered cooking city food; think New Orleans. Creole dishes favor tomatoes. And, we’re adding a bit of tomato to our gumbo.

This recipe calls for a whole onion, one bell pepper, and three stalks of celery. Folks, there really ain’t no rules here; y’alls can do whatever y’alls want. If you like more of one and less of the other, then make it like you want.

This recipe is a simple, chicken and sausage gumbo. It’s a recipe I cook when I share gumbo with others, and I am just not sure what they will like. Folks have tender palates and creating something for everyone is challenging. This is the please-everyone gumbo template recipe that can be created for most you plan to feed and modified for those souls who want to live with a bit of zest and Zydeco!

Me? I love me some okra, crab, and shrimp in mine…a real treat is some crawfish. My wife is just so-so on the shrimp and a no-go on the muscles and okra. My son, he’s not a shrimp-eater yet (but he’s not met his shrimp girl).

Shrimp girl? Funny story. “No dad! NO! Fish is gross.” Enter a girl who had him over and her family cooked fish tacos one night. He comes home, “Hey, I had fish and it was good.” C’est la vie!

Gumbo is a tricky meal to pair beers with. The best beer to enjoy gumbo with depends on the nature of the gumbo. Is your gumbo mild like this recipe or did you spice it up…you know…with a bit of zest and zydeco?!

Mild Gumbo pairs well with a lightly spicy saison, a spicy herbed beer like one brewed with jalapeños, or maybe one with a bit of hop bite and bitterness like an IPA. As well, consider a beer with a good dose of rye.

Spicy Gumbo pairs well with a nice malty bock lager or doppelbock beer; a perfect contrast to a spicy gumbo with some body. Blonds and easy-drinking-lagers are perfect.

If you made your gumbo like Hell’s Back Porch, then grab a cheaper 24 can case of an AAL (American Adjunct Lager); your mouth gonna burn, baby!

Full mouths don’t speak

I mentioned earlier that Cajun cooking is rustic and genuine. There’s usually three pots full of something in a Cajun home during dinner time. We’ve got the first two covered: Gumbo and Rice (I know you ain’t gonna eat gumbo without rice). The third pot needs something in it. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Fried Okra (if your gumbo is okra-free or if you want)
Bacon and Collard or Mustard Greens
Grilled Corn
Steamed Corn and Small Potatoes
Turnips with Greens
Fried Green Tomatoes (something to do with all those green tomatoes that didn’t turn before the frost)
Chowchow if you made a mild gumbo
Cornbread
Hushpuppies
Even Biscuits

(Those last three work well for soaking up all that’s left in the bowl)

The Beer

Generally, a good pairing beer is not a good beer to cook the same recipe with. You want to have a beer that pairs and compliments the meal. Like the old saying, “opposites attract.” Though I don’t know too much about that in relationships, the opposites attract mantra holds true with colors and flavors.

There are some exceptions. For example, if you made a mild gumbo with an easy-drinking lager or AAL (American Adjunct Lager), the same beer will be A-OK to enjoy gumbo with. The flavors may be neutral enough as to not have contributed to the general undertones of the gumbo itself. But, if you used an herbed beer in creating this gumbo, don’t pair that same beer with this meal.

The nature of gumbo is chaos! I’ve had gumbo with shrimp, crawfish, squirrel, duck, chicken, turkey, and rabbit. But, the wrong beer will ruin your gumbo. Stick with a flavor-neutral beer like an easy-drinking craft lager or AAL (American Adjunct Lager).

A better idea is to create your broth or stock by using beer and then saving that broth or stock to create your gumbo with when you are ready. Do you want to know how? Sure you do; here’s a link: https://beerandiron.com/beer-and-chicken-bone-broth/

The Cast Iron

5 or 7 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven (a 5-quart will work well unless you are like me and always over-add ingredients). Also, the pot may initially look FULL. But, as it cooks and reduces, there’ll be plenty of room.
Cast Iron Skillet (5″, 6.5″, 8″, 9″ or a 10.25”) to create the Roux

Supplies You May Need (Affiliate Links)

Brining the Chicken

Bowl to Hold the Brining Chicken: https://amzn.to/3FEy1R5

Zipper Bag: https://amzn.to/3ZYjrft

Link to learn how to brine: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-beer-brine-whole-chicken/

Roasting and Preparing the Chicken

5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/3JRS7tN

Cast Iron Trivet: https://amzn.to/3TpAJ2E

Meat Thermometer: https://amzn.to/42rsDdO

Here’s how to Roast a Whole Chicken: https://beerandiron.com/simple-roasted-chicken

Knife to Cut Up the Chicken: https://amzn.to/42jO7cN

Bowl to hold the meat and separate bowl for placing the scraps: https://amzn.to/3FEy1R5

Creating the Gumbo

Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5

Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41

Knife to Cut Up the Vegetables: https://amzn.to/42jO7cN

Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4

Ingredients

The ingredients for this Gumbo Ya-Ya recipe are few but that don’t mean that it can’t be many. You can make it spicy or mild; Cajun food does not mean it always has to be spicy hot food; I don’t know where that came from.

For the Roux:

¼ Cup Oil, Butter, Lard, or Bacon Grease
¼ Cup White Flour

For the Gumbo:

1 Deboned Whole Roasted Chicken
1 Lb Andouille Sausage
3 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1 Medium Onion
1 Bell Pepper
2 Tomatoes Diced
3 Stalks of Diced Celery
12-16 Ounces of Beer
Some Broth
3 TBL Filé
3 TBL Fresh thyme or 3 tsp of dry.
1 tsp Black Pepper (or more)
Salt to Taste

Hot Cooked Rice to Serve

Sliced Green Onions to Garnish

Chef Tip: For the dried-to-fresh herb ratio, here’s my advice (and only a rule of thumb): Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in most recipes.

Other Herbs that you could add to make this Gumbo recipe:

Oregano, cayenne, paprika, or even some gumbo or Cajun spices that you picked up like (affiliate):

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana (https://amzn.to/3luLJiu)

Tony Chachere Seasoning Blends, Original Creole (https://amzn.to/3JKwZo7)

Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning (https://amzn.to/3lqvUJN)

Ragin’ Cajun All Purpose Original Cajun Seasoning (https://amzn.to/3TmxBEL)

I will not add any of the premixes to my gumbo but do use them at the table. I’ll sprinkle them on as a garnish and for a bit of zing. As a matter of fact, some don’t add the filé to the gumbo while they cook it, they’ll add it on top at the table. Some folks don’t care for adding products with chili powder or cumin to gumbo. It’s all up to you.

Let’s Jump Right in!

When I cook, I will prepare all the ingredients first and before starting to cook. This way I am not racing when something is ready, and the other ingredients are not. It’s nice to have everything cut and prepped and ready to go. I cut, chop, and keep nearby each ingredient in a bowl or plate waiting on its turn in line…or when its step comes up in the recipe. Likewise, having all the cooking equipment at the ready keeps you from hunting it when that moment comes.

Here’s how we are going to prepare this. We’re going to get more detailed in the next section:

Step 1: Brine and Roast a Whole Chicken.

Step 2: Debone that chicken and have it at the ready.

Step 3: Cut everything up and have it at the ready.

Step 4: Sear the Andouille Sausage Medallions.

Step 5: Make a Roux.

Step 6: Sauté the onions and garlic.

Step 7: Toss in the bell peppers, celery, and tomatoes.

Step 8: Add the Roux.

Step 9: Add the beer and broth…one or the other or both.

Step 10: Get it all up to a Simmer.

Step 11: Add the filé and the thyme.

Step 12: Check for Saltiness and Add Salt if Needed

Step 13: After a bit of Simmering, Check the Saltiness Again.

Then, Bon appétit!

Ready to Cook

Let’s Get Detailed:

Step 1: Brine and Roast a Whole Chicken.

Mamma used to boil her chicken and then use the liquid as the stock for the gumbo. We ain’t going to do that (sorry mamma). We’re going to roast that chicken and then use the deboned and roughly cut meat in our gumbo.

First, we are going to brine the chicken for a few days before we create our Gumbo. Then we are going to roast that chicken. Here’s the neat part: you can roast the chicken a day or so before you make your gumbo. It’s all good.

And, if you have a hunkerin’ for some gumbo and haven’t any brined, roasted chicken…then you can bypass the brining and just roast a chicken. Another quick fix are those rotisserie chickens down at the market. They will work in a pinch.

I have an article on brining chicken (and meats in general). Very detailed and yet to-the-point:

Hot Brine Method: https://beerandiron.com/basic-beer-brine-recipe

Cold Brine Method: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-beer-brine-whole-chicken

How to Roast a Whole Chicken: https://beerandiron.com/simple-roasted-chicken

Step 2: Debone that chicken and have it at the ready.

After you have roasted your chicken, let it cool to a point where you ain’t gonna be hollering “Sam Hill!” when you grab ahold of those hot parts of that chicken. Then, cut the chicken meat up into larger, mouth-sized portions.

Step 3: Cut everything up and measure everything out. Have it at the ready.

Cut up the onion and mince the garlic. Keep these two in one bowl. In another bowl, store your prepared celery, bell pepper, and the tomatoes.

Also, slice up the Andouille Sausage in to round medallions. If you don’t have andouille sausage, you can experiment with other sausages. Andouille is preferred but your gumbo will be delicious with other sausages.

Measure your oil and flour for your Roux. Measure the filé and thyme and have it ready.

Step 4: Sear the Andouille Sausage Medallions.

In a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, sear (brown) your andouille sausage. Andouille is pretty fat self-sufficient; we often don’t add any oil to the pan. But, if your andouille is looking sorta on the slim side, add a bit of oil or bacon grease to the bottom of that Dutch oven. No worries.

Once all the medallions are browned/seared on both sides, remove them from the pot and set aside.

You can substitute other sausages if you can’t find any andouille sausage. Again, no worries.

Step 5: Make a Roux.

I said there was only one rule earlier…I told a fib…there’s two. You really can’t have a gumbo without a roux. Well you can; many early, pre-World War II gumbos were created without roux. Here’s a VERY COOL link to a 1922 cookbook called The Picayune Creole Cookbook. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6643212M/The_Picayune_Creole_cook_book. (Let me know if the link isn’t working).

Using a separate, small skillet, over medium high heat, create your roux to a red / dark roux.

Here’s how to make a roux: https://beerandiron.com/roux

The dark or red roux created here really won’t add to the thickness of the gumbo…this roux is for FLAVOR! We create the roux in a separate pan and add it later and we add a lot less roux to our gumbo recipe than other recipes.

Step 6: Sauté the onions and garlic.

One of the reasons we add the roux to the pot later is because of this step.

We’ve seared/browned our andouille sausage medallions and the pan will have all that andouille sausage fat and bits and pieces of that andouille sausage in the bottom of that pan. The onions and garlic (we add them together) will aid in deglazing and pull that flavor right off the bottom of that pot.

We wait to add the roux. The roux would have to be created before putting the other ingredients…at least after the sausage searing step…and onions do not sear well in roux…not at all. That’s my experience.

Step 7: Toss in the bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and sausage.

Once the onions are a bit translucent, toss in the chopped bell pepper, diced celery, and cut up tomatoes. Sauté all this for just a bit. Not long, just a bit.

Turn the heat down to low or medium low as we add the rest of the ingredients.

NOTE: if you want to add okra to the pot, now’s the time.

Step 8: Add the Roux.

If your roux has been sitting for a bit, it may have started to separate. Mix it back to a nice and creamy consistency and add the roux to the pot.

Mix everything up real good and level things off in that pot. We want them level because we are going to add the liquid to the pot just to the level of the ingredients and don’t want anything piled up too high.

Step 9: Add the beer and broth…one or the other or both.

Add about 12-16 ounces of beer to the pot just up to the level of the ingredients in the pot. If the liquid is not up to where you want it to be, add some broth, more beer, or even water to get it up to the level.

Use a mild lager or low IBU (International Bitterness Unit) beer. Basically, less-bitter the better. Avoid flavored beers and sours.

There is this Jalapeño beer…an IPA…in Baker City Oregon at Barley Browns that I am going to growler up the next time I pass through that beautiful town…I have been wanting to try that beer with its mild spiciness with this recipe.

You can add just beer alone if you like, but we often will have created a beer bone broth to add to our soups, stews, chilis…and GUMBO! Here’s how to make a beer bone broth: https://beerandiron.com/beer-and-chicken-bone-broth

Broth from a box or can will work too.

Step 10: Get it all up to a Simmer.

Turn the heat back up to medium and give everything a good stirring up. Put the lid on the pot and bring the gumbo up to a simmer.

Step 11: Add the filé and the thyme.

Once things are simmering, add the filé, thyme, and any other spices you want to add. Then stir everything up very well.

Some folks add the filé after the cook and at the table for a filé flavor. The thickening agent in this gumbo recipe IS the filé. Ain’t no body got no time for no soup-thin gumbo; we need a thick, stew-like consistency with some body to it.

Okra is a thickener and often used along with filé in the gumbo.

A note on the sliminess:

Filé and okra are considered thickeners. But filé and okra do not thicken the same way as flour or cornstarch. Not at all.

The one thing to make note of when adding okra or filé or both to this recipe: watch for the “thickness that runs kind of ‘stringy-like’ (stringy…spin or spun) when scooped with a spoon and allowed to drip back into the bowl.” Folks, when I say, “stringy-like” what I am actually referring to is the “sliminess.” Yes, your gumbo can be too thin and soup-like…and there is gumbo that is too stringy or slimy. If this is a concern, then cut the 3 tablespoons of filé down to two. Make note of your filé (and okra if you are adding) amount and adjust on future gumbo cooks.

If the texture is not to your liking but you love the flavor of filé, then cut the filé powder during the cook and garnish your gumbo with some dry filé at the table.

Adding some spicy for a bit of zing is A-OK. I like spicy but not too spicy. We usually don’t add hot stuff in the pot; we add it at the table. Here are two ingredients that will give your gumbo a pleasant kick:

(Affiliate)

Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce: https://amzn.to/3JL4FTH

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana: https://amzn.to/3ZRnxpN

Step 12: Check for Saltiness and Add Salt if Needed.

There are so many things that can influence the saltiness of this gumbo…the brined chicken meat, the beer, the broth, and just the natural salt hints that exist in many ingredients.

Use a spoon to gather some of the broth and just broth. Sample the liquid. Is it salty to the point you like salty to taste? Yeah? Then you’re done with all the ingredients.

If not, then add salt to the pot and stir it in very well. Return the pot to a simmer and wait a few minutes before checking again (no less than 5 and a bit more is A-OK).

If we check it right away, the initial salt we added hasn’t blended yet. Give it time to become part of the gumbo then sample again.

Want to know more about salting: https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste

By the way, now’s a good time to put some rice on in a separate pot. Don’t cook the rice in with the gumbo. Cook the rice in a separate pot to add to the gumbo later.

Step 13: After a bit of Simmering, Check the Saltiness Again.

Check the salt again. If it’s where you need it to be then great! If not, add a reserved amount (no more than 1 teaspoon or less at a time). Then, wait a bit and check again.

Then, Bon appétit!

Once the pot has thickened up (this will not take long), then check the bell peppers and celery. Are they done to the doneness you like? Then you are ready to eat.

Enjoy this gumbo over or under a bit of rice…rice is the way to go…trust me. We like to use a large spoon and scoop out a bit of rice and pop it on the top of our gumbo.

Garnish as you like.

If you are adding shrimp to the gumbo, it’s always a good idea to add it at the end of the cook and let the gumbo “cook” the shrimp. Some folks add whole shrimp for some flavor, and that’s perfect but add whole shrimp in earlier in the cook; whole shrimp takes longer to cook than peeled shrimp tails. Peeled shrimp tails are added right as you turn the heat off. Mix the shrimp in the hot gumbo and let the hot gumbo cook the shrimp. Do this towards the end and once the shrimp is done, your gumbo is done.

Note: Shrimp is optional. If you do add shrimp to your gumbo, only had a small handful; adding too much shrimp to your hot gumbo will cool it down too much and the shrimp will not fully cook.

If you are adding any seafood or other ingredients, then cook until all the ingredients are cooked to a safe temperature.

Chef Tip #1: Salt. There are so many things that influence the saltiness of your gumbo. 1) The chicken: was it brined? Is it a store-bought rotisserie? 2) How salty is your stock or broth? 3) How many ingredients? 4) How much stock or broth? Did you use beer? — Wait to add salt until after the pot has started simmering and you sample the broth (only). How does it taste? If you add salt, only do so in small quantities (not more than a teaspoon at a time) and check again later after the salt has completely blended. See more on “Salt to Taste:” https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste

Chef Tip #2: Feel free to add shrimp to this recipe. You could even forego the chicken and create this gumbo with shrimp and sausage…YUM! Either way, when you add the shrimp, add the shrimp at the very end. When you realize the gumbo is all but cooked and you are about to turn off the heat, drop in the raw shrimp and stir the shrimp into the gumbo and make sure all the shrimp are submerged. Then replace the lid and let things just sit for 10 minutes.

More shrimp is good but will cool the gumbo down too fast and likely not fully cook. Only add enough. How much is enough? Dang! That’s a good question. It depends on so much.

One more thing about shrimp…pull that shrimp out and let it get to room temperature as you cook the gumbo. Don’t put frozen shrimp into the gumbo using this drop-in method.

Chef Tip #3: Some folks create the roux then add then start adding the ingredients directly to the pot. And that is A-OK. There’s no right or wrong here. Creating the roux in a separate skillet is just how we do it.

Summary

Well, there you have it; the recipe is yours. Now you know how to cook Gumbo Ya-Ya à la Bière or with beer. Now y’all be like, “where’s the jambalaya?” Patience Baby, patience.

Gumbo season usually lasts from around October to Mardi Gras. And here I am offering a gumbo recipe in March. This will give you the summer to perfect your gumbo for the fall months. Hey, like I said, gumbo is a dish with few “rules.” However, and truth be known, this will likely be the last pot of gumbo we make until next fall and just when the nip hits the air.

Bonjour Mes Amis! Good day my friends!