Shortly before Charles popped the big question, he brought me down to Mobile, Alabama for a few days with his family. There are two things about that trip that stood out to me: me catching a really big speck trout (and Charles saying that’s why he asked me to marry him), and his mom’s gumbo (which may have been why I said yes to Charles!). All kidding aside, his mom makes an amazing gumbo, with a roux that is pure perfection. This had me incredibly intimidated to even attempt roux without the usual flour. I was surprised with the outcome, and found this gumbo even met Charles’ approval.
¼ cup (60 mL) bacon grease
3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut flour
3 tablespoons almond flour
2 cups (300 g) onions, chopped
2 cups (200 g) celery, chopped
2 cups (350 g) green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart (1 L) can tomatoes
2 cups (500 mL) chicken or seafood stock
2 bay leaves
½ pound (225 g) lump crab meat, picked over for shells
1 pound (450 g) shrimp
½ pound (225 g) andouille sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) filé powder
- To make the roux, heat the bacon grease over medium heat and whisk in coconut flour and almond flour. Stir continuously until the roux has a dark brown color but is not burnt (think dark peanut butter color).
- Add the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and celery somewhat soft.
- Add in the tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the crab meat, shrimp, and andouille, cooking until shrimp are cooked through.
- Remove from heat and add filé’ powder.
- Stir and serve with cauliflower rice.
Variations—If you don’t have any crabmeat, you can up the shrimp or sausage quantities. Chicken also works great in gumbo.
Hint—This freezes well as individual servings.
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Paleo gumbo builds a dark roux from bacon grease, coconut flour, and almond flour, then fills the pot with lump crab, shrimp, and andouille. No wheat flour, no compromise - this one earned the approval of a Mobile, Alabama gumbo judge. File powder goes in off the heat and the bowl is served over cauliflower rice.
Pro Tips
- Stir the roux continuously to a dark peanut-butter color; nut-flour roux burns faster than wheat and a burnt one cannot be saved.
- Add the file powder only after the pot comes off the heat - boiled file turns the gumbo stringy.
- Pick the crab meat over carefully for shell before it goes into the pot.
- No crab on hand? Up the shrimp or sausage quantities - the recipe's own variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is nut-flour roux as good as wheat roux?
The recipe admits the intimidation and says the result met a Mobile gumbo standard - dark, nutty, and properly thick.
Can I use chicken?
Yes - chicken works great in gumbo per the variation, alongside or instead of the seafood.
Does it freeze well?
Yes, freeze it in individual servings - the recipe's own hint.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Add the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and celery somewhat soft.
- Add in the tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the crab meat, shrimp, and andouille, cooking until shrimp are cooked through.
- Remove from heat and add filé’ powder.
- Stir and serve with cauliflower rice.
