recipe
4-6 pork trotters, depending on size
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 large carrot or 2 small, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
10 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic
2-3 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil
Reserved trotter meat and cooking liquid (from above)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup bacon, cubed (preferably something extra flavorful, such as Benton’s or homemade)
1 cup andouille sausage, cubed (we recommend the best: Jacob’s Andouille out of La Place, Louisiana, or even better, homemade)
1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 celery ribs, diced (about 1 cup)
1-2 bell peppers, diced (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunches collard greens, washed, stems removed, torn
½ bunch mustard greens, washed, stems removed, torn
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ tablespoon onion powder
½ tablespoon granulated garlic
½ tablespoon Coleman’s mustard powder (or ground yellow mustard seeds)
½ tablespoon picked thyme leaves
½ tablespoons ground black pepper (more if desired)
3 or so shakes of Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup or more Crystal hot sauce
Mixed fresh herbs (vary), tied with cheesecloth or butcher’s twine (we use sage, oregano, parsley, and lemon thyme) Salt
For Pork Trotters
For Roux
For Gumbo
steps
Pork Trotters
- In a large cast iron pot, heat vegetable oil. Add onions and cook over medium heat until slightly brown. Add remaining ingredients, except pork trotters, and continue to cook over medium heat until lightly caramelized, about ten minutes.
- Add pork trotters and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 3 hours.
- Allow to cool. Remove trotters from pan and strain liquid and reserve. Pick meat from trotters, being very careful to discard the small bones in feet.
Roux
- In a cast iron sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Slowly add flour, whisk vigorously being careful to avoid splashes.
- Continue to cook over medium, stirring often for about an hour, until your roux reaches a uniform dark brown
Gumbo
- In a large cast iron stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Add bacon and chopped andouille. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is fully rendered and looking delicious. Reserve, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add onion, peppers, celery, garlic, and all powdered seasonings. Cook on low heat until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
- Add roux and continue to cook until it begins swell and bubble. Add reserved bacon, andouille, trotter meat and cooking liquid, along with all the remaining ingredients except the greens. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for minimum 2 hours.
- Add your collard and mustard greens.
- Cool overnight. Reheat, re-season with crystal hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Enjoy over rice and garnish with your favorite devilled egg.
Note: This recipe makes more than enough for your gumbo, but it can be reserved at room temperature until needed again. We recommend using about half. Add more for a thicker, richer end result.
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- from Chef Michael Stoltzfus of Coquette, New Orleans, LA