Gumbo. — Cut and joint into small pieces a large, prefer-
ably, a full grown chicken and generally use two or three sets
of giblets. Wash and drain dry in a tea towel and set aside
till ready for it. Put in a deep iron skillet a large spoon of
lard ; when very hot add two tablespoonf uls of flour. Stir con-
stantly till of a rich brown, then put in a medium sized onion,
sliced and cut fine. When that is brown, put in the chicken
which you let fry with an occasional stir, so that it neither
sticks or burns, for ten minutes, add a quart can of tomatoes,
or a dozen fresh ones, skinned and cut into pieces. Let the
whole stew three or four minutes, then transfer to an iron
soup pot. Put to this four quarts of cold water, salt and pepper
to taste. After boiling hard set back on the stove and let it
boil slowly for four hours. About one hour before serving put
in two quarts of okra. Served with boiled rice. — Mrs. W. S.
Keller.
Crab Gumbo. — Take one dozen large crabs, one cup of but-
ter, and two or three onions. Wash the crabs, taking care to
get them free from sand ; take off the feelers and gills and divide
the crabs into quarters ; brown the onions in the butter with two
tablespoonfuls of flour✪ Gumbo. Put in the crabs with about a handful
of chopped ham. Fill up the pot with three quarts of cold
water. Just before serving sift in about two tablespoonfuls of
file. Do not let it boil after the file is put in. Serve with rice.
Gumbo. — Fry two fowls, old ones are best, with parsley,
onions, pepper, salt, and lard or bacon. Put these into the pot
with water sufficient for the soup, and boil until the flesh drops
off the bone. Just before taking off the fire, add your oysters,
and a few minutes after a tablespoonful of gumbo powder, or
file ; scraps of ham or fried sausage are an improvement. The
gumbo does not require boiling after the file is put in.
Okra Gumbo. — Cut up one chicken, sprinkle with flour, and
HOW WE COOK IN TENNESSEE.
13
fry till brown; then add one onion and one quart of okra,
both chopped fine, and fry with the chicken. Pour on three
quarts of boiling water, and one pint of prepared tomatoes,
and pepper and salt to taste✪ Okra Gumbo. - Boil three hours and serve with
rice. The chicken, okra, and onion should be fried in the vessel
in which the soup is made, and in a porcelain or tin-lined vessel,
as iron discolors the okra.
To Prepare File for Gumbo. — Gather sassafras leaves✪ To Prepare File for Gumbo as late
as possible in the season, before they turn red. Put them in the
shade and open air to dry. When perfectly dry pound them,
sift the powder, bottle it, and keep tightly corked.
Page 6 · 5 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1906. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Gumbo. — Cut and joint into small pieces a large, preferably, a full grown chicken and generally use two or three sets of giblets. Wash and drain dry in a tea towel and set aside till ready for it. Put in a deep iron skillet a large spoon of lard ; when very hot add two tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir constantly till of a rich brown, then put in a medium sized onion, sliced and cut fine. When that is brown, put in the chicken which you let fry with an occasional stir, so that it neither sticks or burns, for ten minutes, add a quart can of tomatoes, or a dozen fresh ones, skinned and cut into pieces. Let the whole stew three or four minutes, then transfer to an iron soup pot. Put to this four quarts of cold water, salt and pepper to taste. After boiling hard set back on the stove and let it boil slowly for four hours. About one hour before serving put in two quarts of okra. Served with boiled rice. — Mrs. W. S. Keller.
Crab Gumbo. — Take one dozen large crabs, one cup of butter, and two or three onions. Wash the crabs, taking care to get them free from sand ; take off the feelers and gills and divide the crabs into quarters ; brown the onions in the butter with two tablespoonfuls of flour. Put in the crabs with about a handful of chopped ham. Fill up the pot with three quarts of cold water. Just before serving sift in about two tablespoonfuls of file. Do not let it boil after the file is put in. Serve with rice.
Gumbo. — Fry two fowls, old ones are best, with parsley, onions, pepper, salt, and lard or bacon. Put these into the pot with water sufficient for the soup, and boil until the flesh drops off the bone. Just before taking off the fire, add your oysters, and a few minutes after a tablespoonful of gumbo powder, or file ; scraps of ham or fried sausage are an improvement. The gumbo does not require boiling after the file is put in.
Okra Gumbo. — Cut up one chicken, sprinkle with flour, and
fry till brown; then add one onion and one quart of okra, both chopped fine, and fry with the chicken. Pour on three quarts of boiling water, and one pint of prepared tomatoes, and pepper and salt to taste. - Boil three hours and serve with rice. The chicken, okra, and onion should be fried in the vessel in which the soup is made, and in a porcelain or tin-lined vessel, as iron discolors the okra.
To Prepare File for Gumbo. — Gather sassafras leaves as late as possible in the season, before they turn red. Put them in the shade and open air to dry. When perfectly dry pound them, sift the powder, bottle it, and keep tightly corked.
Records on this page
Marrow BallsGumboCrab GumboOkra GumboTo Prepare File for Gumbo