Hear me out.

Turkey hunting will learn you real quick on how to be wrong, as will this gumbo. As the majority of people not hailing from The Potato Salad In Gumbo Region of Louisiana are thinking right now, that’s just wrong.

This technique and turkey gumbo recipe were first relayed to me by the incredibly talented Janie Ramirez, chef at Dai Due in Austin, of which I am the co-owner (and former chef before she aptly demonstrated that it was better left in her hands). The thought of putting mayonnaise-based potato salad in gumbo seemed immoral, at best. I love potato salad and I love gumbo, but their marriage seemed arranged and unholy. But, as I soon became aware of, it is not only delicious, but traditional in an area around Sulfur, maybe even Shreveport. Perhaps it's even looked down upon by Louisianans in the east or in New Orleans, but as a Texan, I stay out of these discussions altogether out of ignorance and self-preservation.

So no rice? Not exactly. There is a scoop of cold or room temperature potato salad on the side and it's added to the gumbo, quite possibly in conjunction with rice (which is grown in the area). The creaminess and temperature contrast produce something that's larger than the sum of its parts, and I implore you to try it. Here, we are including a potato salad recipe, but any potato salad - so long as it is more on the mayo side than mustard - will work. 

This gumbo requires a very dark roux. Many cooks new to making dark, chocolatey Cajun roux will perhaps find the color or concept counter-intuitive, even burnt. Please take the roux all the way; it is the trust fall of cooking.

Serves 4

Gumbo

1 turkey leg quarter, or a combination of necks, wings, drumsticks and legs

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 cup diced celery, leaves and trimmings reserved

4 bay leaves

½ cup bacon fat or lard

1 cup all-purpose flour

4-6 medium-sized sweet peppers, diced (about 2 cups)

1 pound Andouille sausage, diced (optional)

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1-3 tsp cayenne or other hot pepper, to taste

Salt and pepper

To serve:

Sliced green onions

Potato Salad (recipe below)

Steamed Rice

Hot Sauce

Combine the turkey, onion peels and scraps, celery leaves and scraps and bay leaves in a pot or slow cooker. Cover with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3-5 hours, or until very tender. Remove the turkey, allow it to cool slightly, and shred any meat from it, reserving this for later. Strain the broth through a fine strainer and reserve; discard the bones and vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the fat and flour in a medium cast iron pan and place in the oven. Cook, stirring well and scraping the bottom and sides every 30 minutes, for 2-2 ½ hours, or until a deep, even, chocolate brown. Remove from the oven. This roux can now be kept, refrigerated, for months.

Place the roux in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, diced celery, peppers, optional sausage, thyme, oregano and cayenne. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 2 cups of the turkey stock, stirring to incorporate. Once homogenous and thickened, add the remaining stock and turn down to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cook for an hour. Add the shredded turkey and stir to combine. Serve with sliced green onions, hot sauce, potato salad and steamed rice.

Potato Salad

1 pound medium potatoes

Salt

2 bay leaves

3 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp yellow mustard

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup diced celery

½ cup diced red onion

¼ cup chopped dill pickles

¼ cup sliced green onion

Black pepper

Combine the potatoes, bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook the potatoes until tender, about 20-30 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, celery, onion and pickles in a large bowl. 

Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them, discarding the bay leaves. Allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle, then dice them. Add the warm potatoes to the bowl with the dressing and stir to combine. Add the green onion, black pepper and salt to taste.