All purpose flour: 1 cup
Canola oil: 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (divided)
Large yellow onion: 1 (small diced)
Large celery stalks: 3 (trimmed and small diced)
Large green bell peppers: 2 (seeded and small diced)
Large jalapeño: 1 (small diced)
Fresh okra: 1.5 cups (cut into 1/2-inch slices, or sub frozen)
Garlic cloves: 10 (finely grated or minced)
Fresh thyme: 1 bundle (tied tightly with enough twine to secure to pot handle)
Bay leaves: 3
Chicken thighs: 4
Andouille sausage: 1 lb (cut into ¼-inch slices)
Gulf brown shrimp: 1 lb (peeled and deveined)
Cajun seasoning (homemade preferred, or use Tony Chachere’s): 1 tbsp
Louisiana hot sauce: 1 tbsp
Shiner Bock beer: 1 bottle
Reduced pork stock (homemade or substitute with bouillon): 1 qt
Chicken stock (homemade or organic preferred): 1 qt
Fine sea salt and black pepper: to taste
Ground cayenne pepper: to taste
- In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, bell peppers, and jalapeño.
- Cook slowly without browning, stirring frequently, until tender (about 15 minutes). Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Wipe out the Dutch oven with a paper towel.
- Add 1 cup canola oil and bring to medium-high heat.
- Slowly whisk in the flour. Stir continuously—first with a whisk until smooth, then switch to a sturdy wooden spoon.
- Scrape the bottom and sides constantly.
- Do not stop stirring or the roux will scorch.
- Continue until the mixture reaches a dark peanut butter to mahogany color.
- Turn off the heat and carefully whisk in the beer. (It will steam and bubble—be cautious.)
- Once incorporated, add the cooked vegetables back in.
- Increase heat to high and whisk in the chicken and pork stocks.
- Add the chicken thighs to the simmering pot and cook until they reach at least 165°F and shred easily.
- Remove, shred, discard bones, and return chicken to the pot.
- Add okra, thyme bundle (secured to the pot handle for easy removal), Andouille sausage, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and hot sauce.
- Simmer for 1 hour or until reduced to your preferred consistency.
- Turn off the heat, add the shrimp, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Serve over white rice (McWhorter recommends Anson Mills Carolina Gold), potato salad, or even crumbled day-old jalapeño cornbread.
- Keep plenty of hot sauce nearby—Texas Pete if you want to eat like the troops overseas.
