Gumbo is a cross between soup and stew and is usually made with okra, a roux, and some kind of meat… it is very versatile.
To read more about gumbo and the different variations on it, click here. Since we love crab so much, we decided to make a gumbo with our beautiful Lump Maryland Crab Meat. It is rich in flavor but the crab still really shines through. The trick is to add the gumbo crab meat just before the end of the cooking so the delicate flavor doesn’t get lost in the gumbo. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Creole Crab Gumbo Recipe
Skill level: Intermediate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hr and 15 minutes
Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Ingredients Required to make Creole Crab Gumbo Recipe
2 cups Cameron’s Lump Maryland Crab Meat
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup okra, slice
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp of Creole seasoning blend (see recipe for seasoning below)
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
4 cups of seafood stock (or chicken will do if you don’t have any seafood stock)
Creole Crab Gumbo Cooking Directions
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt your butter and then add in the flour and whisk well to make a roux. Keep whisking the roux every few seconds until your roux starts to turn a light brown color. Now turn the heat to low and whisk your roux every minute or so until your roux turns a rich brown color, like the color of peanut butter. Take it off the heat and set it aside until you need it again. You can dice your vegetables while you are cooking your roux, just don’t forget to stir your roux.
In a big sauce pot over medium heat, put in your 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Once your oil is well heated, add in the okra and cook for a few minutes until the okra is soft.
Take out the okra and set aside and cook your onions and celery until the onions are translucent. Add in the garlic, green peppers, tomatoes, creole seasoning, and salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes start letting off some juice and everything is starting to smell nice and fragrant. Now add in your roux and let everything cook together for a minute or two until it all comes together and looks like a paste.
Add in your seafood stock and once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. Add in your crab and cook for 10 minutes and your gumbo is ready to eat.
Fun Fact: In French cooking, a combination of carrot, celery, and onion is used as the starter flavor for many dishes and is called a mirepoix. In many creole/cajun dishes, replace the carrot with green pepper and you have the “holy trinity” of cooking.
Ingredients Required to make Creole Seasoning Blend
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp black pepper
Cooking Directions for Creole Seasoning Blend
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and they are ready to use. Store leftover blend in an airtight container for use next time you make gumbo.
You could eat this gumbo all by itself, or with some rice or a nice chunk of french bread. It is the perfect food for a cold winter day. We would love to see pictures of your crab gumbo recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us!
Buy Maryland Crab Gumbo Online
Feel like skipping the dishes? Cameron’s Seafood delivers authentic Maryland crab gumbo to your front door within 48 hours in the United States! Our Crab Gumbo is a tomato-based soup loaded with fresh vegetables and chunks of Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab meat. This hearty Maryland crab soup is an instant classic and is sure to warm you right up!
By: Melanie Craighead
