A “bare bones” gumbo from 1935, noteworthy because it doesn’t start with a roux, AND it includes tomato.

From: Southern Cookbook, 1935 (Subtitle: 322 Old [Southern] Recipes)
Cover testimonial: “Appetite-whetting, competent, delicious recipes that have made Southern cooking famous the world over.”—from a Charlotte N. C. source of some kind

Print Recipe

Chicken Gumbo

A “bare bones” gumbo from 1935, noteworthy because it doesn’t start with a roux, AND it includes tomato.

From: Southern Cookbook, 1935.Subtitle: 322 Old [Southern] RecipesCover testimonial: “Appetite-whetting, competent, delicious recipes that have made Southern cooking famous the world over.”—from a Charlotte N. C. source of some kind

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Southern

Keyword: 20th Century, Chicken, Gumbo, Historical

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 small stewing chicken
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cups okra sliced and chopped
• 2 cups tomato pulp
• few sprigs parsley chopped
• 4 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• After chicken is cleaned and dressed, cut it into serving portions.
• Dredge lightly with the flour and sauté in the butter, along with the chopped onion.
• When the chicken is nicely browned, add the okra, tomatoes, parsley and water.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook very slowly until the chicken is tender and the okra well-cooked-about 2½ hours.
• Add water as required during the slow cooking process.
• If a thin soup is preferred, the quantity of water may be increased.

Notes

Personal Notes

They do not say anything about serving this with rice which typically will go into a Gumbo from my personal experience. However, you may want to serve with a small portion of rice for that is traditionally how it is served.