CROCK POT WEDNESDAY – Louisiana Red Bean Gumbo

It’s time to link your favorite slow cooker recipe to Crock Pot Wednesday.  You can find Mister Linky at the end of this post.  Thanks so much for participating.

 

 

 

Over the years I have used several recipes that were given to me by my friend, Mary Lynn.  This is one of those, but with my adaptations both to the recipe and for the crock pot.

 

 

LOUISIAN RED BEAN GUMBO

 

 

1 pound bag dried red beans (kidney or pinto)
1 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices (or use 1 pound fresh sausage such as Jimmy Dean hot pork sausage, crumbled and browned)
1 medium onion, chopped*
1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (I used the hot variety.)
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups cooked chicken, optional
8 – 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
10 ounces fresh or frozen greens (I use spinach or kale, but you can use okra as well.)
2 tablespoons Emeril’s Bayou Blast or other Creole seasoning.


Cook the dried beans according to package instructions, or as I do, in the Crock Pot.  When cooked, transfer 1/2 of the beans to a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly, adding in Rotel tomatoes and green chilies during the last minute of blending.  Return blended beans and Rotel to whole beans.      


In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, make a medium dark roux with the oil and flour.  Do not rush the roux or it will burn.  Add onions and cook until tender.  Add the bell pepper, garlic and the smoked sausage.  (If using the fresh sausage, brown in a skillet before adding to the roux mixture.)  Add the bean puree and Rotel to the sausage.  Stir in Creole seasoning.  Add chicken and okra, if using.  If using spinach or kale add during the last 30 minutes of simmering.  Simmer for 45-60 minutes on low heat.  Add chicken or vegetable broth or water to maintain a soup consistency.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Taste for seasoning. Stir occasionally and serve over rice.

I generally use leftover pinto beans, but you can start with a fresh batch as per the recipe.  Also, we like it spicy but you can adjust the heat to suit your tastes.

 

 

Crock Pot Adaptations:  Either cook the beans or use leftover beans that have been prepared in the slow cooker.  Add blended beans to the Crock Pot, prepare roux, onions, bell pepper and sausage and add to the bean mixture in the Crock Pot.  Stir in Creole seasoning and okra, if using.  Add enough broth (I usually use vegetable broth.) to thin the soup and add additional broth as needed.  Cook on LOW 4 –5 hours, stirring occasionally.   Check for consistency and add broth as needed.  Add greens and chicken and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.  Serve over rice.

 

 

Try topping it with the frozen Tomato-Bacon Jam that I hope you have in your freezer.





 

 

 

*I often use the frozen seasoning blend that I find the freezer section.  It also contains celery which I like anyway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deb at Frugal Living and Having Fun recently honored me by presenting my blog with the Lovely Blog Award.  I am deeply grateful for her kindness and compliments.  Be sure to visit her blog for some great money-saving tips, coupons and super giveaways. 

 

I am continuing the tradition of honoring those blogs and their authors who have inspired me by their creativity and words of wisdom and will be presenting the seven additional Lovely Blog Awards to:

Joanna at The Fifty Factor
Amanda at Hilborn House
Lindsey at Always Chase n’ Presley
Judy at Judy’s Kitchen
Sarah at Ryan and Sarah
Lindsey at The Kindy Family
Shirley at Shirley’s World


Some of these are former students and some are new/old friends that I would like for you to meet.  Each has a unique, creative way of allowing us to become a part of their lives.  I hope you will visit each one of them.

Linked to:
Souper Sunday
Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table