Best Ever Seafood Gumbo

How does this freeze?

The recipe is tasty but, as some folks have noted below, authentic gumbo does not include tomato-based ingredients. It tastes good, but could you call it something else? Lol This is more of a seafood stew due to the ingredients. To those who are knocking on the complaints below: food is a big part of our culture in Louisiana (as it is virtually everywhere). How about you honor the culture by making recipes that are authentic? If it's not, call it something else. If you're Mexican and I make cochinita pibil with chicken instead of pork, then I post my new recipe on the web, you have a right to tell me it's wrong. After all, that's an important part of your culture.

Really good! I don't understand people who give a bad review because of an ingredient or two that in their "expert" opinion they don't think should be included. Move along to the next recipe. Make something different.

Best gumbo EVER! I’ve made it every year since the recipe first appeared in November 2015. Everyone loves it! It’s now a family Christmas Eve tradition. My son-in-law and I share the prep work and this year my 10 year old grandson will be our apprentice.

This was delicious!! Took some time but worth the effort! For me it rates 5 stars. I did use extra shrimp instead of oysters since I do not care for them. People should not rate a recipe because of ingredients if they have not tried it. When I saw the 3 stars I almost did not make. However after reading what that was based on did make it and my husband so happy I did. My experience with gumbo is that there are many ways of making it and there is no right or wrong just personal and family preference.

My husband grew up in Gulfport, MS and his family has been making gumbo for over 45 yrs.  It's always a treat when his sister makes gumbo, which is her specialty.  Her daughter also makes her own and they're slightly different, but amazingly good.  Better than any restaurant gumbo I've ever had.  They both use bacon fat/grease for their roux which adds a smoky undertone and imparts lots of flavor.  They also don't peel the shells and add the entire shrimp, sans heads/tails, into the gumbo w/fresh crabmeat.  They don't usually add andouille sausage, but it's a nice touch.  They use fresh okra and add a few tomatoes, chopped up fine, along w/file'which is a must in gumbo.  Add it at the end as it can get stringy if cooked too long.They are as southern as they come having been born and raised in the gulf area of MS.  Not sure if they use worcestershire sauce, but I did in this recipe, no biggie if you do.  Also, when sauteeing the okra, I would not wipe out the pan before sauteeing the andouille sausage. I didn't add oysters which I've never had in gumbo before.I made this the easy way as I didn't have a lot of time and sauteed onion, celery, gr pepper, and okra in the bacon fat along w/spices.  After 2/3 cooked, I added the garlic, crab, andoulle sausage, and boiled shrimp in the shell.  Cooked it for another 5-7 mins and then added shrimp water.  Simmered for 30 mins.  It's better the next day.  Served it w/some skillet cornbread.  Yum!

NOOOOOO!!!! No tomato ANYTHING in gumbo!!!! And no Worcestershire sauce!!!! 

This is a great seafood stew "gumbo".   This would be great with mussels and some pieces of cod too.  Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste are often used in gumbo and jambalaya. I use V8 instead of tomato sauce sometimes and love the results.  Yes, I do live in the South. :  )

I've made better. Worcestershire sauce?

I'd omit the tomato paste and the worcestershire sauce and add whole blue crabs and a good smokey sausage with that andouille!