Creole Seafood Gumbo

Inspired by Miss Tina Knowles’ “Matriarch” and cooked the Uncle Dibbz way

Prep Time:

45 minutes

Cook Time:

3–4 hours

Total Time:

About 4½ hours

Servings:

6–8 hearty bowls

🦀 Ingredients

For the Broth:

• 3–4 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, cleaned
• 4 whole blue crabs, cleaned and halved
• 3 gallons of water
• 2 tablespoons Uncle Dibbz Durrty Bird Rub
• 1 tablespoon Uncle Dibbz King Creole (No Salt)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (optional, to taste)
• 1 tablespoon black pepper

The Trinity:

• 1 ½ cups yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced

For the Roux:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Main Gumbo:

• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 2 cups okra, sliced (fresh or frozen, thawed)
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust
• Shredded chicken (from broth)
• Crab meat (from broth)
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

To Serve:

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• Chopped green onions for garnish

🍲 Instructions

Step 1: Prep & Clean

Wash chicken thoroughly and clean the blue crabs. Pat dry and set aside. Chop all vegetables — onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and green onions — creating the classic Creole trinity.

Creole cooking isn’t about measurements — it’s about knowing when something feels right.

Step 2: Build the Broth

In a large stockpot, add water and chicken. Season generously with Durrty Bird Rub and King Creole No Salt. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.

Once the chicken starts to cook through, add your trinity (onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic) and blue crabs. Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Remove chicken and crabs from the broth, allowing them to cool before shredding the chicken and setting both aside.

Step 3: Make the Roux

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-low. Gradually whisk in flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk.

Stir for 40–45 minutes, keeping it moving until it deepens into a dark chocolate-brown color — rich but not burnt.

Patience here is everything — this is where flavor is born.

Step 4: Fry the Okra

In another pan, heat a bit of oil over medium-high. Add okra and a splash of white vinegar. Sauté until the texture shifts from slimy to crisp and fragrant.

Listen for the sound — that sharp sizzle means the vinegar’s done its work.

Step 5: Build the Gumbo

Return your strained broth to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the roux slowly until smooth and combined.

Add diced tomatoes, okra, and sliced andouille sausage. Stir in Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust, then fold in shredded chicken and crab meat.

Simmer low and slow for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the gumbo thickens and the flavors deepen.

Step 6: Finish with Shrimp

In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add shrimp. Cook until pink and tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt or additional Delta Dust.

Step 7: Serve

Spoon gumbo into deep bowls with a scoop of white rice in the center. Garnish with chopped green onions and a piece of crab on top for presentation.

Like Miss Tina said — no two gumbos are ever the same. Each one carries the hand that made it, the family behind it, and the time it took to get there.