Slow-Cooker Sausage and Seafood Gumbo
 
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced, such as Conecuh
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 pounds medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
  • ¾ pound fresh steamed crab claws
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • Cooked rice, to serve
  • Garnish: sliced green onion
Instructions
  1. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, approximately 7 minutes. Remove sausage from skillet. Set aside. Discard rendered fat in skillet.
  2. Carefully wipe skillet. Add oil; heat over medium heat. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is a deep caramel color, approximately 30 minutes. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño; cook, stirring constantly, until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
  3. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and has thickened, approximately 2 minutes. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add sausage, 1 tablespoon thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and tomato.
  4. Cover, and cook on low 5 hours. Add shrimp, crab claws, Creole seasoning, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme. Cover, and cook on high until shrimp are pink and firm, approximately 30 minutes, stirring twice. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/slow-cooker-sausage-seafood-gumbo/