Frozen veggies meets gumbo = flavorless. How to add flavor?

Frozen veggies meets gumbo = flavorless. How to add flavor? - Asian mother and daughter cooking pizza together

So, last time I made gumbo, I got the veggies chopped (onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic) and then realized I had prepped twice as much as I needed.

I froze the extra ingredients, labeled for future use for gumbo.

I'm making it again now, and it's pretty flavorless. (See below for exactly what I've done.) Since the last time I made it was over a month ago, I don't recall exactly whether it was this bland last time.

What might cause flavorless gumbo? Is it the frozen veggies?
Is this dish supposed to be somewhat bland? I've actually only had it once or twice at a restaurant. How could/should I add more flavor to the current batch?

Process:

  1. Heat 1.5 TB oil, add 1.5 TB flour to make a dark brown roux.
  2. If I were using fresh veggies, I'd add them next. Instead, I held off.
  3. Add 1/2 cup tomato sauce, stir until it gets crumbly & dry.
  4. I then added the defrosted, drained veggies.
  5. Fry 1/2 pound okra in a separate skillet until it's less sticky & less stringy, then add to the pot.
  6. Add 1 cup fresh, chopped tomatoes.
  7. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups water.
  8. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, some salt, pepper, and I actually also added a dash of hot pepper sauce since it was so blah-tasting.
  9. Simmer for an hour.
    .... this is where I am now, and it's just.. blah, still.
  10. The next step will be to add 1/2 pound shrimp, a bay leaf, some fresh parsley, and cook for another 30 minutes.
cajun-cuisinegumbo


Best Answer

I think the problem is that in the original recipe you would have browned the veggies in the roux, which develops flavor. Since you didn't do that, you might want to saute some onions and garlic until well browned and add that in. Other possibilities:

(1) Sauce may just need to reduce and become more concentrated (2) May need more salt (3) May need a little more acid (a bit of vinegar or lemon juice)



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What can you add to bland gumbo?

Bonus Tips and Tricks
  • Grill meats or roast garlic on the grill before adding to the pot for a good rustic flavor.
  • When using wild meats cut the game taste with beer or white wine.
  • Add crawfish tails or oysters.
  • Add crabmeat if you don't want to peel the crabs.
  • Food process veggies to hide them in the gumbo.


    • How do you darken gumbo?

    In order to develop a deep roasted flavor in your gumbo, you should cook your roux \u2014 being careful not to burn \u2014 until it is a deep dark brown color. "Roux needs to be cooked low and slow to bring out the nutty flavor and rich dark color without burning it," says Chef Dickensauge of Houndstooth Saloon in Chicago.

    How long should gumbo simmer?

    Once roux and stock are combined, bring to a gentle simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 2 hours, skimming any foam or excess oil that comes to the surface. While simmering, saute sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Add sausage to gumbo.

    What should a roux taste like?

    Dark-brown roux looks like dark melted chocolate and tastes like rich campfire coffee with hints of tobacco. Dark roux is essential in building the flavor of traditional gumbo and usually achieves its color within 30\u201345 minutes of cooking, but it depends on the amount you make as well as the heat you use to cook it.



    More answers regarding frozen veggies meets gumbo = flavorless. How to add flavor?

    Answer 2

    What Gene said: use a strong stock and (IMO) about twice the roux.

    Also, I don't fry my okra. I will add tomato if I don't have any smoked sausage -- but then I never consider it "proper" gumbo if I do. And I add plenty of herbs and spices.

    Gumbo is most definitely NOT a bland dish -- quite the opposite.

    Answer 3

    Stir-fry the vegetables instead of the okra (which doesn't need it), till they're somewhat caramelized. Make more roux, develop more nerve in making it darker (my favorite recipe uses 1/2 cup of butter and flour each). Use stock, not water. Hold off on the tomato sauce, and use a lot more spices. Plus just get some andouille :-).

    Answer 4

    The gumbo recipe you show looks more like an Italian tomato dish. Most authentic gumbo recipes don't use tomatoes and none that are decent will use tomato sauce. Some Cajun gumbo recipes use chopped tomatoes but in limited quantities.

    Real gumbo will be best with a little more roux than you list. Also need to use some smoked meat and stock instead of water.

    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Katerina Holmes, Pietro Jeng, Anna Shvets, ROMAN ODINTSOV

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