Red Bean Gumbo
Red bean gumbo brings the comfort of “Monday beans” but makes it special with the added complexity of roux and eggs.
Several years ago I asked a Cajun/Creole group on Facebook a question about red bean gumbo and y’all the internet trolls were out that day! I got comments trying to school me that the name of the dish is red beans and rice and “not everything is gumbo”. My response was, it has more liquid than red beans and rice, has a roux, and you eat it in a bowl using a spoon. It is indeed gumbo.
To be fair, red bean gumbo is one of those localized favorite dishes that is typically only found in St. James Parish especially on the east bank of the river although you can find it on the west bank. If you don’t live in the area, I have good news for you. While the gumbo does contain tasso and andouille, it doesn’t rely as heavily on those flavors as a chicken and andouille gumbo so it’s easy to substitute in other smoked meats. You’ll have legitimate gumbo even with the substitutions.
Most red bean gumbo recipes use canned Blue Runner red beans as a base for the gumbo. While the gumbo is still delicious, the brand is usually hard to find outside of S. Louisiana and other canned beans don’t come close in terms of taste or texture. Please do not substitute other brands.
If you have a favorite homemade red beans and rice recipe, you can use that as your base and halve the seasonings (spices and vegetables) in this recipe to compensate for the additional water. This recipe is a combination of my mom’s red beans and my dad’s red bean gumbo recipes.
If you’re curious about other types of gumbo, you can read about it here.
Red Bean Gumbo Ingredients
1 c whole wheat all-purpose flour
1 lb dried Camellia red beans
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped bell pepper
1 c chopped celery
4 bay leaves
¾ c thinly sliced green onion
5 Tbl cried parsley
2 Tbl salt (divided)
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper (cayenne)
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp basil
¼ c Better than Chicken Bouillon
1 c chopped tasso
1 lb andouille
¼ c minced garlic
8-12 eggs
Chopped fresh parsley (for varnish)
Cooked long grain rice (for serving)
Red Bean Gumbo Directions
In a heavy-bottom 7 quart pot, spread 1 c of flour evenly over the bottom. Put it on medium heat. When you begin to smell the flour cooking, reduce the heat to low and give it a quick stir. Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes and stir again. When the flour is visibly darker on the bottom of the pot when you stir it, you will need to stir it constantly.
When the flour is about 3 shades darker than peanut butter (if you use white flour, stop when it’s peanut butter color), add 2 c chopped onion, 1 c chopped bell pepper, 1 c chopped celery, 4 bay leaves, ¾ c thinly sliced green onions, 5 Tbl dried parsley, 1 ½ Tbl salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp red pepper, 1 tsp thyme, ½ tsp basil, ¼ c Better than Chicken Bouillon, 1 c chopped tasso, and enough water to be about 1.5-2 “ below the rim of the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil and reduce it to a slow simmer (just starting to bubble). Taste. It should taste watery and “rouxy” and feel grainy. I want you to see how the flavor and texture develops. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for about 3 hours. Stir it and taste about every 30 minutes. If your beans are sticking alot, it usually means you need to lower your temperature to just a slight bubble. It could also mean your pot is too thin. If that’s the case, just stir the gumbo more often and roll with it.
Lay 1 lb andouille flat on a cutting board and slice it into rounds about ⅓”-½” thick. The pieces will look big and usually take about 3 bites to eat each piece. If you cut it too thin or cut it into semi-circles, it will probably fall apart while cooking. Add the andouille to the pot along with ¼ c minced garlic when you have 1 hour left of cooking.
If you use Camellia beans, the beans will start breaking apart and thickening the liquid after a couple of hours. If you used a different brand of beans or if you are cooking at high altitude, you will need to smash some beans with the back of a spoon then light a candle for forgiveness to all of the Cajun cooks before you. The amount of beans fully intact depends mostly on how the cook likes it. I like it about half and half.
After 3 hours, taste the gumbo and add salt or pepper if needed. The amount of salt and pepper needed depends on the type of meat you use. You should identify a little spicy pepper at the very end of the taste. It is not supposed to be hot.
While the gumbo is still at just a simmer, you will crack eggs into the pot to poach them. I am not good at this but the best way I’ve found is to add 1 egg to a ladle and lower the ladle into the pot. When the ladle is in the gumbo, gently tilt the ladle so the egg falls out. Don’t touch it or stir it.
Traditionally, you cook the egg until the yellow is set, but I undercooked one recently and I loved the richness the runny yolk brought to the gumbo. If you go with the runny egg and someone calls you out on it, just say “Yea, I know. I like this way better.” Only cook the number of eggs that you’ll be serving. I find they get tough when you reheat them.
To serve, add 3 Tbl of rice to a bowl and fill it with gumbo (make sure you have an egg!) and top it with chopped parsley.
Notes
My favorite smoked meats come from Wayne Jacob Smokehouse in LaPlace. They do ship, and they have no idea I exist. If you can’t get legitimate tasso or andouille (I have never seen legitimate andouille or tasso outside of a small pocket in Louisiana), your best bet is to get the best smoked ham hock and/or turkey neck you can find. Pretty much the smokier the meat, the better it will be (as with anything there is a line of too much smoke!).
Some people will boil eggs, peel them, then drop it into the pot. While it’s easier to feed a large crowd with that method, poached eggs are more common (and I think taste better).
