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Jambalaya and gumbo: Seafood or no seafood?

Seafood, yes or no?

  • No seafood please.

    Votes: 99 28.8%

  • Gimme the seafood!

    Votes: 245 71.2%
  • Total voters
    344
Dullahan

Dullahan

Always bets on black
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,410
I was watching Binging With Babish and his guest, the great Cajun chef Isaac Toups brought something interesting up. That no Cajun people would add seafood to gumbo or jambalaya because otherwise it becomes a seafood stew. I'll admit that all gumbos I had were chicken and andouille sausage only. But jambalaya I've only ever seen with shrimp which kept me for eating it. Is this a legit Cajun rule? Cause that'd be awesome.

What say you? Shrimp or other seafood in either jambalaya or gumbo, or it's a no go?

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Sandfox

Sandfox

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,743
The last time I made it I added shrimp and crab, but it would still be delicious with just sausage and okra.
 
NealMcCauley

NealMcCauley

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,504
Adding seafood to gumbo or jambalaya is more of a New Orleans thing if I remember right. Cajun v New Orleans food differences are pretty interesting to read about.
 

Deleted member 2226

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,846
That may be the term for cajun cuisine, but creole as far as I know doesn't have said gumbo/stew distinction. In any case, I find it kind of funny to be a "traditional cuisine" pedant about cajun food, which is five or six different regional cuisines thrown into a blender in the first place and only exists from a non-orthodox blending of European, American Indian, and African cuisines adapted to the terrain and circumstances. If you want shrimp in your jambalaya, 99% of the world is not going to recoil in horror and say, "but now it's a common seafood stew!"
 
Nepenthe

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,722
I require shrimp in my gumbo. Jambalaya is neither here nor there.

However, if okra isn't in either dish I'm throwing the plate back at the cook.
 
Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Member
Jun 10, 2018
8,851
My dad is from deep deep South Alabama and whenever he made either it was always without seafood. Conversely now that I make it for myself I have a rule to always make it with seafood.
metalslimer said:
I tend to add shrimp to my gumbo but I usually don't with my jumbalaya. My true enemy is okra.
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What I've found is that if you chop up some cherry tomatoes it lends a similar texture as okra.
 
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Dullahan

Dullahan

Always bets on black
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,410
I never understood the appeal of seafood, it tastes like murky water and earth.
 
CrankyJay

CrankyJay

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,318
Should have been okra/no okra for the gumbo, lol. I realize it's a thickening agent but I just can't stand the texture. I've tried many times.
 
HiLife

HiLife

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
39,687
Seafood is amazing. Just might get a po boy today. Don't trust people who don't get down with lobster tail, crab or crawfish boils.
 
Lys Skygge

Lys Skygge

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,747
Arizona
My late grandpa, who lived most of his life In Louisiana taught my family how to cook gumbo and jambalaya. He made jambalaya with only andouille and maybe chicken, but he always put shrimp in his gumbo.

I like to put shrimp in both, but my wife dislikes shrimp, so I don't put it in as often as I'd like.
 
Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Member
Jun 10, 2018
8,851
I should also mention my approach to jambalaya is slightly different since I cook it with etouffee in mind (so, seafood inclusion from jump).
 
Dali

Dali

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,184
My mom used to make an excellent seafood gumbo. If you make it without seafood and only use meat and sausage then why wouldn't that just be considered a regular stew if adding seafood makes it a seafood stew? What makes it gumbo is the slimy texture the okra gives to it.

My personal preference for jambalaya is to just meat and sausage but I know people that throw seafood in it too. The last time I made it was Fat Tuesday about 2 years ago. I used chicken sausage, turkey bacon, and I think another poultry sausage.
 
Nepenthe

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,722
janusff said:
yeah pretty much this. wouldn't mind more seafood in that gumbo either, like oyster for example.
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My seafood palate is very limited. I'm okay with white fishes (catfish, tilapia, etc.), shrimp, and scallops. I don't much care for the taste of harder shellfish like crab. But oysters? I'll cut you.
 
ZeroHunter

ZeroHunter

Member
Aug 6, 2020
897
NealMcCauley said:
Adding seafood to gumbo or jambalaya is more of a New Orleans thing if I remember right. Cajun v New Orleans food differences are pretty interesting to read about.
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Yeah I've lived in New Orleans and there are plenty of places where you can get seafood gumbo. Although I've never seen seafood added to jambalaya anywhere, that's a new one for me.

I've personally never heard anyone balk at seafood gumbo being called gumbo. If I recall correctly a lot of Cajun/creole "rules" are regional so really it just comes down to what you like. Speaking of...

Abdul Malik Ka'bah said:
How do you not like okra???????
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Okra is slimy garbage and I won't hear otherwise.
 
nded

nded

Member
Nov 14, 2017
10,584
Seafood is a pretty broad category. I definitely enjoy shrimp in either dish.
 
Salty_Josh

Salty_Josh

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,942
I always made jambalaya thinking it was meant to be shrimp and chicken. I guess you learn something new every day. In general though it's not my cultural food so I'm all ears
 
Nephtes

Nephtes

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,550
Despite being a native of New Orleans, I cannot stand seafood jambalaya or seafood gumbo.

Like it's a mishmash of too many fishy flavors and my mouth checks out. Like one kind of seafood flavor at a time is fine... but 12??

And then you always seem to find like half a crab sticking out of there, shell on... no. No. Noooooooo.

✅ Chicken and sausage gumbo
✅ turkey gumbo
✅ pork and sausage jambalaya
✅ chicken and sausage jambalaya
✅ fried seafood
✅ chargrilled oysters

❌ seafood gumbo
❌❌ seafood jambalaya (it's somehow worse)

shrimp AND ONLY SHRIMP gumbo is acceptable but only during Lent
 
FaceHugger

FaceHugger

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,949
USA
I've never had gumbo without shrimp. Jambalaya though, as far as I know, should never have seafood. Just what I've been taught.
 
Bane

Bane

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
5,905
For Jambalaya I just use andouille but for gumbo I want seafood. It's not required but I much prefer crab, shrimp/crawfish, and possibly scallops along with some andouille.
 
Wandering Robot

Wandering Robot

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,476
New Orleans
Creole native. Most of the jambalaya I've eaten has been without seafood, but I'm not going to complain if someone adds shrimp. 😌 Vast majority of the gumbo has been with seafood. I haven't had much in the way of Cajun preparation, but I do recall some with seafood in them.
As for okra, I'd rather die
 
MechaMarmaset

MechaMarmaset

Member
Nov 20, 2017
3,582
I do seafood with gumbo. Usually shrimp and shrimp stock that i make from saving up shrimp shells from other meals. I hate when people put crab in there with the shells on. Like what the fuck. I don't want to go picking apart stuff in a hot bowl of liquid.

Jumbalaya i do with chicken and andoullie.

For okra i sear it in a pan until browned. This allows it to still be a thickener without being slimy. I have a can of file powder but I prefer okra
 
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