Can You Put Lump Crab Meat in Gumbo?

Every good gumbo recipe calls for chicken and andouille sausage, but this gumbo goes from good to great when you add crab.

There are many stand-ins out there that simply don’t make the authentic cut. Nothing can ever compare to the beauty of a real diamond, and saccharin will never, ever, ever be sweeter than real sugar.

But this crab, chicken and sausage gumbo recipe…now THIS gumbo recipe has no comparison. Gumbo may originally hail from Louisiana, but this recipe is the real-Southern-Delta-blues-gumbo-deal.

This recipe for sausage and chicken gumbo was first shown to me when I went to see one of my best friends at The Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, MS, which has the slogan “The Ritz it ain’t”. The Shacks are like walking into a real-life House of Blues bar. They have all the quirks that the original sharecroppers did, plus internet and bathrooms, but none of the things that hotels, motels, and inns have today, like hotel bars and miles of hallways to get lost in.

My friend Laura owned the restaurant Rust at the Shack Up Inn, and her long-term partner Guy is a co-owner of the Shacks. The Shacks are a collection of 10 real share-cropper shacks that have been barely fixed up to become a real Mississippi delta destination for blues fans and travel lovers alike.

This recap from The Huffington Post sums it all up pretty darn well.

One of the dinners we had while we were there included a big bowl of gumbo. It was my first time in the South and the Mississippi Delta, but it wasn’t my first time having gumbo. Gumbo has become a bit of a favorite of mine over the years, and I have to try it whenever I can.

But Laura’s chef’s version of gumbo was a stunner and exceeded all my expectations. Well, not really. I KNEW I was going to get a great gumbo in the Mississippi Delta. And that’s why I KNEW I needed this recipe in my kitchen.

There is always chicken and sausage in gumbo, and sometimes shrimp is added. Actually, when I cook it, I always add shrimp. But this time around we had some leftover crab in the fridge so added that instead. Keep reading to see what else gets thrown into this homemade gumbo recipe.

If you want to make this gumbo, the list of ingredients is pretty simple, but the dish is very flavorful. Here’s what you’ll need to make this authentic gumbo recipe:

Gumbo is one of the most iconic dishes of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. This hearty, spicy stew usually contains meat or seafood, vegetables, and a dark roux. While there are many variations, seafood gumbo often features shrimp, crab meat, and oysters. This brings up a common question – can you use lump crab meat in gumbo? The short answer is yes, lump crab meat can make a delicious addition to seafood gumbo.

As someone who grew up in Louisiana eating gumbo all my life, I want to share my tips on using crab meat in gumbo. Here’s what you need to know about making authentic, flavorful gumbo with lump crab meat at home.

What is Lump Crab Meat?

First, let’s cover the basics – lump crab meat refers to the meat from blue crabs that is extracted and sold in whole “lumps”. It comes from the larger muscle segments of the crab’s body. Lump crab has a delicate, sweet flavor and flakes into tasty chunks when gently cooked. It provides nice visual appeal and texture compared to shredded or claw crab meat.

Lump crab meat is more expensive than other forms of crab since extracting the lumps is labor-intensive. You may see it labeled as “jumbo lump” or “backfin lump”. For gumbo, I recommend splurging on fresh pasteurized crab rather than canned, which has less flavor and texture. Look for refrigerated containers at your local seafood market or grocery store seafood counter.

Why Use Lump Crab in Gumbo?

So why add lump crab meat to your gumbo in the first place? Here are some of the benefits:

Sweet, succulent flavor – Lump crab adds a sweet nuance that balances well with the spices.
Hearty texture – The crab lumps provide a nice varied texture compared to just shrimp
Visual appeal – The pretty white lumps make the gumbo look even more appetizing
Coastal flair – Crab screams Louisiana coast and enhances the regional style of the dish.

Overall, the sweetness and body that lump crab meat contributes makes it an ideal addition to seafood gumbo. It adds substance and makes the gumbo even more of a meal.

How to Prepare Lump Crab for Gumbo

When cooking with fresh crab meat in gumbo or other dishes, there are a few things you need to do first:

Pick through – Fresh lump crab often contains shells or cartilage. Gently pick through the lump crab and remove any bits of shell, being careful not to break up the lumps.
Check for stingers – Blue crabs sometimes have pointy stingers left behind on the meat. Check thoroughly for any stingers and pull them out.
Separate any clumps – The lumps can clump together. Separate any big clumps into individual pieces for better texture.
Avoid overmixing – When adding the crab to the gumbo, stir gently to prevent the lumps from losing their shape and flaking apart.

Taking a little time to properly prepare the crab ensures you end up with intact lumps in your finished gumbo.

When to Add Lump Crab to Gumbo

Traditionally, seafood like shrimp and crab gets added in the final 15-30 minutes of cooking gumbo. This is enough time to cook the seafood without overdoing it. Follow these tips for adding lump crab meat:

Cook the gumbo base of vegetables, broth, and roux until thickened.
Add raw shrimp and cook 5 minutes.
Then add the fresh lump crab and simmer just until heated through, another 5-10 minutes.
Resist stirring excessively so the lumps hold their shape.

Adding the crab right at the end preserves its delicate texture. The lumps gently warm and absorb flavor without getting overly flaky.

Pairing Crab with Other Seafood

Crab lump meat is fantastic paired with shrimp in gumbo. Shrimp add a meaty bite while the crab provides sweetness and texture. Other seafood that complement crab in gumbo include:

Andouille or kielbasa sausage – Savory, smoky flavor
Oysters – Briny taste and slight chewiness
Crawfish – Sweetness similar to crab
Fish like redfish, catfish or scallops – Mild flavor and firmness

Aim for 1/2 to 1 pound total of crab and other seafood per 4-6 servings of gumbo. Too much can make the gumbo overly rich.

Crab Gumbo Tips

Through many trial runs of gumbo in my family’s Louisiana kitchen, I’ve picked up some tips for success with lump crab:

Use a flavorful seafood stock, with shrimp shells if possible, for the deepest flavor.
Cut the okra rounds slightly thicker to match the crab chunks.
Take the roux to a medium-dark peanut butter color to suit the sweetness of crab.
Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce for extra depth.
For a super creamy base, puree some of the okra before adding.
Mix in a few claw crab pieces or halved shells for more crab essence.
Garnish bowls with extra lump crab and green onions for a pretty presentation.
Serve with steamed white rice and French bread to soak up the rich sauce.

Classic New Orleans Crab and Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

To highlight the flavor of lump crab meat, I love this classic-style gumbo recipe. It’s adapted from Louisiana Chef John Folse.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (for roux)
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound okra, sliced
4 cups shrimp stock
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 pound lump crabmeat
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Cooked white rice for serving

Instructions:

In a large pot, make a roux by whisking the oil and flour over medium heat until it turns a deep brown color.
Add the bell peppers, celery, onions, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add the okra and stir well to coat with roux. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
Whisk in the shrimp stock, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, cayenne, Creole seasoning, and salt.
Gently stir in the lump crab meat. Bring gumbo to a simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Add the shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp are pink, about 5 more minutes.
Remove bay leaf. Stir in the parsley.
Serve gumbo in bowls over steamed white rice. Garnish with more crabmeat and parsley if desired.

The sweet crab combined with the spicy shrimp and vegetables makes for an outstanding gumbo. Just taking in the aromas as it simmers will transport you to the Louisiana bayou.

can you put lump crab meat in gumbo 2

How to Make Gumbo

First, you’ll need to cook the bacon in a large skillet. After cooking the bacon, let it drain so that you can use the bacon grease (about 1 cup should work for this recipe).

In the same skillet the bacon was fried in, sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft. Set the veggies aside, then brown the sausage in that same skillet. Set the sausage aside too.

Add your bacon renderings back to the pan and stir in the flour. Lower the heat and cook for at least 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes. When the roux is dark tan and smells like toasted nuts, it is done.

While the roux is cooking, put the rest of the gumbo ingredients in a large stockpot (except for the okra and roux). Simmer the mixture for an hour. Once the roux is finished, stir it into the gumbo mixture. Add half the okra to the gumbo and cook for 30 minutes before stirring in the remainder.

Serve your homemade gumbo over white rice and dig in!

Tips for Making the Best Gumbo

Anyone who knows a lot about gumbo will tell you that the roux is where the dark, rich, almost chocolate-like flavor that runs through this Southern stew is made. This roux is made from bacon grease and flour and is slowly cooked and stirred every 5 minutes. Set aside at least an hour for this step because you don’t want a bitter, burned roux. Remember to go slow and low.

If your bacon doesn’t give off enough fat, melt enough butter to make 1 cup of bacon grease. Trust me, you do not want to skimp on the fat in this gumbo recipe!.

I buy frozen okra because it’s firmer than the canned kind and gives a tastier bite. It’s actually my favorite part of the stew so I usually double the called for amount. And I can do that, because I’m the gumbo boss.

Seafood Gumbo | CHEF CARMEN ATL

How do you cook lump crab in a gumbo pot?

Toss the shrimp with Old Bay and Cajun seasoning and add to the gumbo pot, cook for about 4 minutes. Add the lump crab, very gently stir in so as not to break up the crab too much; simmer just until heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Can You boil gumbo crab?

Do not allow to boil. Remove the gumbo crabs and add in the cleaned, boiled crab bodies and the prepared crab claws, if using. Toss the shrimp with Old Bay and Cajun seasoning and add to the gumbo pot, cook for about 4 minutes. Add the lump crab, very gently stir in so as not to break up the crab too much; simmer just until heated through.

Do you add gumbo crab meat before cooking?

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! 3 tsp of Creole seasoning blend (see recipe for seasoning below)

Can you use lump crab for gumbo?

Some good choices are snapper, grouper, or catfish. You can certainly use more than 1/2 pound of lump crab – whatever your budget will allow, and while fine as an add-in for other gumbos and recipes, avoid using canned crab for a crab gumbo – stick with fresh or frozen gumbo crabs and fresh crabmeat for this recipe.