Wendy’s Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey & Saugage Gumbo Recipe

When you’re born and raised in Cajun Country, and come from a family who loves to cook, Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo becomes a staple holiday tradition. This year, I decided to share my Gumbo recipe with y’all to bring a little Cajun love to your table.

My family takes a lot of pride in cooking Cajun food from scratch, so making a gumbo can be a day-long event. Of course you can shorten the cooking time by buying a few of the components – like the stock and roux – in advance (just don’t tell my Dad.) For today though, I’m going to share the full Gumbo ritual, from stock, to roux to potato salad…

Gordon’s Dark Turkey Stock

Ingredients: 

• Bones of 1 large turkey, cracked
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 2 liters (about 8 cups) water

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375
2. Put all the ingredients (except the water) into a baking dish and mix together so they are covered with tomato paste
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes
4. Dump all of the bones and veg into a large stockpot with the water and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Strain the liquid through a sieve and store the stock. (I like to refrigerate it so I can skim off some of the fat before adding it to the gumbo.)

Faucheaux Family Leftover Turkey & Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 C Butter
• 3/4 C Plain Flour
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• Leftover meat from your Thanksgiving turkey
• 1 lb cajun smoked sausage, halved and sliced
• 6-7 cups dark turkey stock (or store bought chicken stock if you’re in a hurry)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
• large bunch of parsley, chopped and divided
• 1.5 cups (dry) long grain rice, prepared

Directions:

1. First, you make a roux…
   Put the butter into a large stock pot on a medium heat. Once it is mostly melted, add the flour and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon.
2. Turn down the heat and continue to stir regularly, scraping and flour off the sides and bottom of the pan.
3. Continue to stir over a low heat until your roux is the color of a paper shopping bag.
   
4. Turn your fire back up to a medium heat and add the Cajun trinity of veggies – onions, celery and green pepper – and cook until they soften, stirring regularly for about 8 minutes.
   
5. Next add your garlic and meat – turkey & sausage. Stir until all combined and scrape an excess roux off the bottom of the pan. If the mix gets a little dry,  you can add a splash of stock.
6. Add the rest of the stock, salt, cayenne, and half the parsley. Simmer for at least an hour (or as long as you can.)
   
7. Skim any excess fat off the top of the gumbo. Add the last of the parsley and serve over rice with a side of potato salad.

Beverly’s Cajun Potato Salad

Ingredients: 

• 5 large gold potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 inch cubes
• 3/4 cup mayo
• 2 tbs grain mustard
• 3 eggs, hard boiled
• 3 dill pickles, finely chopped (or 4 tbs pickle relish)
• 1 tbs pickle juice or vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes until soft, then drain and set aside
2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Chop the whites and set aside.
3. Mash the yolks with the mustard.
4. Add the mayo, pickles, pickle juice, salt, and cayenne to the yolk mixture to make a dressing.
5. Mix the dressing into the drained potatoes. Add the chopped egg yolks, parsley and green onions.
6. Mix to combine and serve.