Wild Duck Gumbo
Submitted by BIGDROSS
Rich wild duck gumbo built on a dark roux with smoked sausage, the holy trinity, stewed tomatoes, and cayenne heat. Ladle it over rice for a true Louisiana supper.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsIf you’ve got wild duck in the freezer and a Dutch oven on the stove, you’re halfway to one of the finest gumbos this side of the bayou.
The duck gets browned in batches first, building up a fond that becomes the foundation for a dark, nutty roux. Smoked sausage, onion, green pepper, and celery go in next, followed by stewed tomatoes, Worcestershire, thyme, and just enough cayenne to warm your chest.
After an hour of simmering, the duck comes out, gets deboned and chunked, then goes right back in the pot. Spoon it over a mound of hot white rice and you’ve got yourself a meal worth bragging about.
Variations
- Add a pound of sliced okra with the vegetables for a thicker, more traditional gumbo
- Stir in a tablespoon of file powder at the end for that earthy Creole finish
- Use andouille instead of smoked sausage if you want more spice and snap in every bite
Pro Tips
- Stir the roux constantly for those 12-14 minutes; walk away for even a minute and it’ll burn on you
- Brown the duck in batches so the pieces actually sear instead of steaming in a crowded pot
- Deboning the duck after the first simmer is much easier when the meat has had time to loosen from the bone
- Make it the day before if you can; gumbo always tastes better after a night in the fridge
Ingredients
Directions
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown duck in batches in oil.
Remove and set aside.
Discard all but ⅔ cup drippings. Add flour to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Add sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, parsley and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add next 8 ingredients; mix well. Add duck; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 60 to 75 minutes or until duck is tender. Remove duck . Cool. Debone and cut into chunks; return to pan. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Remove bay leaves. Serve with rice.
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