Frozen Food – GUMBO

GUMBO – Freeze date 5/27/07 and brought back to life 10/01/07.

I cooked a delicious Chicken Andouille Sausage Gumbo last May.
I used FROZEN okra in the recipe.

After over 4 months in the freezer, it’s gumbo time again!
To freeze successfully, chill the container in the refrigerator for a day before putting in the freezer (don’t go from room temperature straight to the freezer). The flavors seem to develop better this way, too. Remember to label the container.

“Strummin’ my six-string
On my front porch swing
Smell those shrimp they’re beginnin’ to boil…” JB
I cooked up some shrimp to add to the gumbo…
The shrimp were FROZEN. I defrosted them under cold running water, removed the shells (they were already deveined) and gently boiled them in water with some unsalted butter and made some fluffy white rice…


Stir in some gumbo file (powdered sassafras leaves) when the gumbo is hot. File is an authentic seasoning and thickener. Always stir it in after the gumbo has been cooked, right before serving.

“Just forget about the mumbo jumbo
Hello to the world of gumbo…” JB

Spoon the gumbo over rice, and add the shrimp.

Do you have a set rule for how long something can last in your freezer? I thought maybe over 3 months was too long, but this was even better than I remembered it!

2 thoughts on “Frozen Food – GUMBO”

  1. la la la…gonna have big fun on the bayou 🙂 See? You got me singing! The dish looks great. Thanks for the tips about freezing. It makes sense now that I think about it, to put it in the fridge first.

  2. I cooked a hen, sausage, smoke turkey neck and okra gumbo. I let it cool down to room temperature, then I portioned it out into gallon Ziploc bags half full and put in freezer. When I get ready to serve it, I usually slow thaw in refrigerator 24hr-32hrs before serving. If I’m transporting a short distance 45mins-1hr , I put ice in bottom in bottom of cooler and put frozen bags down, then cover with more ice. If traveling longer use rock salt on ice. It is best really, to prepare. Gumbo where you intend to serve it. I never cook gumbo with a lid on it! I also use dried onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery seasoning to keep it longer. There are many ways to save gumbo without spoiling. I know I got 3 different answers when I was younger when I asked the question. Some older people will tell you to put the whole pot in frig or dish out in bowls/smaller pots uncovered once it reaches room temperature, then dish out to a plastic covered container to freeze what you don’t eat that next day.

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