Cajun Beef Gumbo

Cook: 2 hr | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or bacon grease
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup okra, sliced (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to tasteCooked white rice (for serving - optional)
• Chopped green onions and fresh parsley (garnish)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, season the beef with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in flour until well coated, shaking off any excess flour.
2. In a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil or bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the floured beef pieces in batches, and brown them on all sides. Remove the browned beef from the pot and set it aside.
3. In the same pot, reduce the heat to medium, and add more oil if needed to make about 1/2 cup of oil in the pot. Gradually add the 1/2 cup of flour to the oil, stirring constantly to form a roux. Continue cooking and stirring the roux until it reaches a dark, rich brown color. Be careful not to burn it, as it can turn bitter.
4. Add the chopped onion, diced bell pepper, and diced celery to the roux. Cook the vegetables in the roux for about 5 minutes or until they become tender.
5. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the can of diced tomatoes with their juice and stir to combine.
6. Return the browned beef to the pot and pour in the beef broth. Stir in the sliced okra, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to LOW, cover the pot, and let the gumbo simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beef becomes tender and the flavors meld.
7. To serve, ladle the gumbo over cooked white rice in individual serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with chopped green onions and fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Per serving: 630 Calories; 400 Calories from fat; 45.5g Total Fat (10.9g Saturated Fat; 13.5g Monounsaturated Fat); 107.5mg Cholesterol; 872.3mg Sodium; 23g Total Carbohydrate; 5.3g Dietary Fiber; 32.6g Protein; 4mg Iron; 1000.9mg Potassium; 0.2mg Thiamin; 0.4mg Riboflavin; 9.1mg Niacin (NE); 0.6mg Vitamin B6; 2mcg Vitamin B12; 7.1mg Zinc; 25.9mcg Selenium; 106.7mg Choline

This recipe is an excellent source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin (NE), Vitamin B12, Iron, Selenium, Potassium and Zinc. It is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin and Choline

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Texas Beef Council

Recipe courtesy of Danielle Dubois