Metal Recipes: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
Prepare yourselves, my friends. Today, I’m gonna teach you how to make authentic Louisiana gumbo, so you don’t gotta rely on the shame from the box anymore. While we’re here, I’d also like to introduce you to some lesser known Louisiana metal bands that I think deserve some attention.
Before we get started, there are a few things that I have to get out of the way. First, there are many different styles of gumbo, and everyone does something a little different. A gumbo is a bit like a signature in that way. This is just my way of doing it, so don’t be angry if you come down here, and some gumbo you get doesn’t quite taste like mine. Second, gumbo takes a while to make. It’s not particularly intensive, though. I recommend making it when you have a lot of time and maybe have some guests coming over (there’s a plague about; don’t let anyone in your house!).
You will Need:
2 Large Pots
1 Small Pot
1 Large Pan, at least 2″ Deep and 10″ Across
1Whole Chicken, Thawed
3/4 to 1 Gallon of Water (enough to cover the chicken) + 2 Cups Water, Set Aside
1 Cup Rice
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Flour
1 Pound Andouille, Thawed (If you don’t have a butcher shop nearby that can make andouille, you can use Savoie’s. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do in a pinch.
1/2 Pound Tasso Thawed (Same advice as with the andouille)
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
4 Stalks of Celery
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Pablano Pepper
1/2 Bulb Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 Bundle Green Onions
1/4 Cup Parsley
1 1/2 Tsp. Cayenne
1 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tsp Herbes de Province
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Step 1:
Place the whole chicken into a large pot. Pour the 3/4 to 1 gallon of water over it until it completely covers the chicken, but don’t over fill it. Turn to a medium heat and bring to a boil. After the water has come to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Boil for two hours. Flip the chicken after the first hour. You will know the chicken is ready, if the meat starts falling off the bones when you lift it with some tongs. After the chicken is done, remove the pot from the heat and remove the chicken from the pot and place it into a large bowl. Keep the stock in the pot. Set aside the stock and the chicken.
While we’re setting up to boil the chicken, let’s look a band from Baton Rouge Louisiana, Woorms. Woorms plays the kind of sludge that should cause any self-respecting Melvins fan’s ears to perk right up. It’s heavy as fuck and just as weird:
Step 2:
Slice the andouille into coins and place in a bowl. Cut the Tasso into chunks. Finely chop all the vegetables and set into a bowl with the tasso. Put the green onions and parsley into a separate bowl. This will take about 30 minutes, depending on how good you are at chopping stuff. I’d recommend beginning this as soon as you cover the chicken.
Chopping up vegetables is brutal for them right? After all, we’re totally mutilating plant carcasses, yeah? I’ll use this ridiculous tangent to awkwardly transition into bringing up Lafayette’s Arbre Mort. These death metal flinging bastards are serious about packing in the riffs without fucking up the flow. It’s good stuff. If you’re into Abysmal Dawn, you’re probably gonna dig this.
Step 3:
Pour the oil into the pan, and heat at a medium temperature (about a 5 if you have a numbered stove). Throw the andouille in there, and sear it on both sides. As you sear the andouille, set it aside. This will take about 15 minutes. DO NOT DRAIN THE GREASE!
Since we’re already dealing with pork, we may as well take a trip up to north Louisiana to check out Monroe’s Boudain. Boudain have been playing top tier Southern infused stoner doom for a while now, and it’s a shame that I hadn’t heard of them until a few weeks ago. Sounding a bit like Corrosion of Conformity crossed with Goatsnake, these guys have all the elements to become something big. Be cool. Check them out.
Step 4:
Once you have seared the andouille, dump the veggies and tasso into the pan. Let it cook in the andouille grease. Stir frequently. You will do this until the vegetables have wilted and much of the moisture has evaporated. Once this is accomplished, remove from heat.
While we’re wilting vegetables, let’s check out some music that wilts the soul. And, what could be more soul wilting than raw black metal? Hailing from New Orleans, RanCoffiN play the kind of raw black metal that peals paint from walls, Darkthrone and Vlad Tepes be damned. RaNcoffiN are a young but crazy prolific band. since their formation in 2019, they’ve put out two demos, four EPs, and two full length albums. Also, a lot of their lyrics are in French, so that’s cool.
Step 5:
We’re gonna make the roux. This is probably the most important step to making the gumbo, but it’s also the most labor intensive and easiest to screw up. Take the other pot, and put your cup of unsalted butter into it. Turn the heat to medium. Allow the butter to melt. once the butter has melted, add in the flour. STIR CONSTANTLY! DO NOT STOP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNTIL THE ROUX IS DONE! You will use either a wooden spoon or a whisk to stir the roux. Use either a figure eight or spiral pattern. You will do this until the roux is a dark brown color, like melted chocolate. You don’t want it black, but otherwise, the darker the roux, the better the gumbo.
The roux is gonna take a while to make, so now is a good a time as any to slow things down and check out some progressive doom metal courtesy of Lafayette’s Forming the Void. Basically, imagine if Pallbearer merged with Mastodon and left the filler behind. It’s not usually my sound, but I’ll definitely make an exception here.
Step 6:
Put the veggies and tasso into the roux, and stir for about two minutes. Now, remember that chicken stock you made earlier? You’re gonna strain it into the pot with the roux. Stir. Turn the heat down to low. This won’t take long.
Step 7: Strip the meat off the chicken, and throw it into the pot with the veggies, stock, and roux. Place the andouille in the pot, too. Bring to a boil. Once it has been brought back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for two more hours, stirring every 30 minutes. At the hour and a half mark, stir in the parsley and green onions.
Stripping the meat from a dead bird is an inherently brutal process, and it is suited for some brutal death metal. Enter, Golgothan, from Lafayette. Their style of crushing brutality is one that consistently has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. They don’t have any full length albums, but they do have several EPs out, along side a series of comedic short films that are way better than they have any right to be.
Step 8:
Make the rice. pour two cups of water into the small pot. bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the cup of rice. Cover and bring down heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is soft and fluffy.
Last, but absolutely not least, I want to talk about Chaos Sculptor from New Orleans. I don’t have any sort of goofy transition to make here. this band just simply slays and should not be left out. Chaos Sculptor only has one album out, and it just came out this past December. Regardless, this sole album is a blackened death masterpiece. Everything that makes a band like Incantation rule is present here. This bad boy oozes with filth and darkness.
Serve the gumbo over the rice. If everything went right, you should have a very delicious and filling meal for several people. Also, don’t be afraid of the leftovers. Gumbo is actually better the second day. Bon appetit!
