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First, cook a pound of bacon

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David M. Bueker

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First, cook a pound of bacon

by David M. Bueker » Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:17 pm

That's the first step in my gumbo recipe.

Most gumbo recipes start with "First, make a roux..."

I use bacon grease for the roux, so I have the delicious first step.

What do you use for a roux when making gumbo? Or do you even make gumbo?
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Jo Ann Henderson

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Jo Ann Henderson » Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:07 pm

I use fresh vegetable oil to start my roux. I let the andouille or other smoked sausage impart the smokiness in the end product. Bacon comes with too many flavor additives these days, IMO.
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Mike Bowlin

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Mike Bowlin » Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:34 pm

With you all the way, BACON grease for the starter.
Thanks,
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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Jeff Grossman » Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:36 pm

I use butter for most of my roux.
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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Mark Lipton » Mon Feb 18, 2013 3:52 pm

Jeff Grossman/NYC wrote:I use butter for most of my roux.


Yup, butter for the roux and, in the case of gumbo, locally made smoked andouille for the smoke.

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David M. Bueker

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by David M. Bueker » Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:09 pm

Now that we get bacon from the local farm I am much more confident in using it. Yummy stuff.

Nobody local does Andouille, so I quit using it. What I have been able to get is too greasy, even when I pre-cook/de-grease it.
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Tom Troiano

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Tom Troiano » Mon Feb 18, 2013 6:52 pm

A have a friend who makes outrageously good fried chicken in bacon fat.

The first step in the recipe is "make 5 lbs. of bacon".
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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Doug Surplus » Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:12 am

I might not make it past the first step. I'd eat all the bacon and forget about what I was making in the first place!
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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Salil » Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:31 am

David M. Bueker wrote:Now that we get bacon from the local farm I am much more confident in using it. Yummy stuff.

Nobody local does Andouille, so I quit using it. What I have been able to get is too greasy, even when I pre-cook/de-grease it.

A couple of the big markets around here have started carrying D'Artagnan's andouille sausage. Dunno if that meets your needs, but I certainly like it.
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Frank Deis

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by Frank Deis » Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:04 pm

I've made gumbo more times this year than previously in my entire life I think -- largely because I have found a Korean produce market that has great okra (I don't think Koreans even eat okra but they seem to really understand good produce). Because of the calories, I have shied away from making the recommended quantity of roux. I tried one version where you mix the flour and oil in the pot and put it in a 250 degree oven for a period of time -- all that stirring is not necessary if the heating is perfectly even. When I have used a roux I make it in skimpy quantities so it doesn't actually thicken the stew. Okra helps with the thickening as does filé gumbo.
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David M. Bueker

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Re: First, cook a pound of bacon

by David M. Bueker » Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:23 pm

Salil wrote:
David M. Bueker wrote:Now that we get bacon from the local farm I am much more confident in using it. Yummy stuff.

Nobody local does Andouille, so I quit using it. What I have been able to get is too greasy, even when I pre-cook/de-grease it.

A couple of the big markets around here have started carrying D'Artagnan's andouille sausage. Dunno if that meets your needs, but I certainly like it.


That is what we used this past weekend. It was the greasiest yet.
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