Black-Eyed Pea and Pork Gumbo
Published January 8, 2019
Sara Essex Bradley for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE ROUX
¾ cup peanut or vegetable oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
FOR THE GUMBO
1 cup diced white or yellow onion
½ cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 quarts pork or chicken stock, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon gumbo filé powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground white pepper
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons chile powder
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon lard or olive oil
¾ pound okra, sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 cup homemade or store-bought cooked and drained black-eyed peas
1 cup braised collard or mustard greens
1 ¼ pounds homemade or store-bought smoked pork butt or shoulder, chopped
Kosher salt
Steamed rice or potato salad, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)
41 grams carbs; 55 milligrams cholesterol; 595 calories; 22 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 37 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1395 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
FOR THE ROUX:
- Step 1
In a large pot, heat the peanut or vegetable oil over medium-high. Slowly whisk in the flour and continue whisking until the roux turns dark red and begins to turn brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
FOR THE GUMBO:
- Step 2
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the roux and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, dried spices and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer over medium-low, skimming occasionally, until flavors meld, at least 45 minutes.
- Step 3
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the lard or olive oil over medium-high. Add the okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 4
Taste the gumbo: It should not be pasty or taste overwhelmingly of the roux. If it does, you may need to add more stock, up to 4 cups. (The strength of starch in the flour can vary.) If you add more stock, start with just a cup, simmer and stir for a few minutes, and taste the gumbo again. Repeat as needed.
- Step 5
Stir the okra, black-eyed peas, greens and pork into the gumbo. Return to a simmer, season with salt and pepper and adjust the spices, if necessary. Serve over steamed rice or potato salad.
Private Notes
Comments
I make a variation on this, but I prefer swiss chard to the collards. And since we like our gumbo heavy on vegetables, I increase the celery and peppers to a cup each minimum and I use much less pork...sometimes I just add sliced pan seared andouille at the end for a pop of flavor. Or I leave out the pork and top with crisped crumbled prosciutto for a lighter version. No file, not with the okra.
Sure! Gumbo Z'Herbes... a mess of greens in a roux, pretty darn good. And basically a gumbo is a stew made with a thickener, be it a roux, file, or okra, or a combination (I like a chocolate-brown roux and okra). Then add whatever you'd put in a veggie stew. How about sweet potatoes, peppers, maybe some black beans or even chickpeas? Use your imagination!
Although I haven't cooked this particular recipe, I have made plenty of rouxs for gumbo and other dishes. With high enough heat, it does not take very long (I've seen some recipes that say 45 minutes, which is crazy). For an excellent discussion of roux and the different stages and colors, see Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen cookbook (I believe it was his first one).
This was my first attempt gumbo and it was quite tasty! I browned pork shoulder and added it with the veggies to slow cook since I had some. Only used 2 qt of stock. Was delicious!
WOW! This gumbo’s flavor packs a punch. A healthy dose of cayenne and it is SPICY (which I like). Flavors are great, but I agree with others that there’s too much liquid; it could easily be reduced by a quart, if not cut in half. It took 16 minutes to get the roux to dark (not quite “chocolate”) brown. Served over Carolina Gold rice and it was a perfect New Year’s Day meal.
I come from a Louisiana Creole family, and most published recipes seem to call for an excessive amount of roux. Consider cutting it down. Too much and it will taste dirty and claggy. Also filé powder, if using, should be added only once the gumbo is cooked, and to the individual bowl. And normally, a gumbo wouldn't require okra and filé, since both are thickeners.