Gumbo on the Grill

I was lucky enough to be in attendance when this dish was made and it is the best gumbo I’ve ever had in my life. Cooking all the gumbo ingredients on the grill adds something to the flavor profile that can’t be achieved inside on the stove. I highly recommend trying this grilling recipe. I’ll hand it off to the third Grillin’ Fool, Tom to show you how to make Gumbo on the Grill

My wife and I love to travel.  One of our favorite spots is New Orleans.  We love to experience the culture, the sights, the people, the music, and (of course) the food!!  Here is one of our southern favorites with a Grillin’ Fools twist. Gumbo done entirely on the grill!

Gumbo on the Grill Ingredients:

• 1 chicken rubbed with Cajun spices
• 1.5 pounds smoked Andouille or spicy sausage
• 3 onions
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 cups okra, chopped (optional)
• 3 yellow or red peppers
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 8 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 lbs shrimp
• 1 lb halibut, chunked

Roux Ingredients

1 cup (8 oz.) lard
1 cup flour

Gumbo on the Grill Directions:

First, apply a Cajun rub to the chicken (or your favorite rub):

Put the chicken on the grill and cook it 275-300° to 170° internal temperature in the breast, flipping often to get a good flavor crust along the outside. This should take 60-90 minutes depending on the grill:

When the chicken is close to being done, add peppers, onions, and garlic to the grill, turning occasionally to char and introduce a nice smoky flavor to the finished gumbo:

The charring really gives the veggies an added level of texture and taste! That’s what makes this gumbo better than what is made on the stove.

Once charred and cooked through, for both the veggies and chicken, remove from grill and let them cool:

Rough chop the peppers:

Make sure to take off the skin of the onion before chopping:

Put the peppers and onions into a bowl:

Then add the chopped celery:

Also, take the chicken off the bone and chop it to bite-sized pieces:

Slice the sausage and put in a bowl for later:

Now, on to the roux.  Add the lard to the pan and let it melt:

Slowly add the flour, a little bit at a time, whisking as you go:

Keep adding flour and stirring until the roux is brown in color, almost the same color as a penny.  Or darker than the roux is in the picture below. Then you know you are ready for the next step which is to add the chopped onions, celery, and peppers (also known as the trinity).  Also add in the garlic:

Cook until the onions are translucent.  This is going to give your gumbo its flavor base:

Now, give the gumbo its heartiness–add the meat (chicken and Andouille) and the okra (if you prefer). If you notice, the pot has changed because the Dutch oven was not big enough:

Give it some kick!  The heat really adds to the flavor palette of the gumbo, so go as hot as you dare, or leave it out if you aren’t so bold:

Now it’s time to finish it up!  Add the chicken broth slowly to roux:

Simmer on low heat for at least an hour, although the longer you cook the gumbo, the better it tastes!!

About 15 minutes before serving, add the uncooked shrimp and halibut.  These ingredients don’t need as long to cook, so just add them at the end.  This really gives the gumbo a nice fresh taste, particularly when you get it from Bob’s Seafood like we did:

Enjoy the flavors of the South y’all!!:

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below.

If you liked this gumbo on the grill and would like to see similar grilling recipes, click here.

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Tom Jones

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This article was initially published on: June 7, 2012