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Chef John's Duck, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

The procedure for this duck gumbo with sausage and shrimp is pretty straightforward, although you're talking about a full day's project. This can be made with hundreds of different combinations of smoked meats, game, poultry, and seafood — and in my opinion, the more, the merrier. Serve in a large soup bowl with a scoop of cooked white rice, a sprinkle of green onions, and a pinch of cayenne.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 45 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 6402.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet For browning duck and preparing the roux.
  • 1 Large Dutch Oven (approx. 7-9 quart) Essential for simmering the gumbo over a long period.
  • 1 Whisk Crucial for continuous stirring during roux preparation.
  • 1 Chef's knife For precise chopping and dicing of ingredients.
  • 1 Slotted Spoon or Ladle For skimming fat and serving.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or more as needed
  • 2 duck legs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound andouille sausage thickly sliced
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 cup diced serrano and pasilla peppers
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 4 green onions chopped (Optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 smoked ham hock
  • 2 cups water or as needed
  • 1 cup pickled okra rinsed and sliced
  • 1 pound Gulf shrimp
  • 1 pound crawfish tail meat
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions Optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook duck legs in hot oil, skin-side down, until browned and fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the skillet.
  • Whisk 1 cup flour into fat in the skillet, adding enough oil to make a thick and smooth roux. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns a rich, reddish-brown color, about 40 minutes. Whisk in 2 more tablespoons flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in broth, 1 cup at a time, until incorporated. Remove from heat.
  • Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in onion, peppers, celery, and chopped green onions; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf, followed by diced tomatoes until combined.
  • Place ham hock into the center of the Dutch oven. Pour roux mixture over ham hock along with enough water to cover. Place duck legs into mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid set at an angle to let steam out. Simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, until duck and ham hock meat are tender, about 4 hours. Skim as much fat as possible off the top as it simmers.
  • Transfer duck legs and ham hock to a large bowl and let cool. Stir pickled okra into gumbo. Pick meat from duck legs and ham hock and return meat to gumbo. Simmer gumbo for 45 more minutes.
  • Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp and crawfish tails; cook until both are bright pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon sliced green onions. Taste and adjust for seasoning. tcali319

Notes

The roux is the heart of gumbo; be patient and stir constantly over medium-low heat until it reaches a rich, reddish-brown color – do not rush or burn it. Skim rendered fat often during the long simmering process to prevent the gumbo from becoming overly greasy. Quality ingredients make a significant difference; use fresh Gulf shrimp and crawfish if possible, and a good smoked Andouille sausage. Taste and adjust seasoning, especially the cayenne, right before serving. The long simmer allows flavors to meld beautifully, creating a deep, complex taste. For best results, consider making this a day ahead, as flavors deepen overnight.