Smoked Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Roux:

1. In a large cast iron pan over medium-low heat, whisk flour, bacon fat, and oil together.
2. Whisk constantly until it’s a deep, rich chocolate brown (about 45-60 minutes). Your arm will hurt, but it’s worth it. Remove from heat.

Chicken:

1. Preheat grill to 225°F.
2. Season chicken with Cajun or Creole seasoning.
3. Smoke chicken until an internal temperature of 150°F is reached.
4. Remove the chicken, then slice it into bite-size pieces.

Sausage & Veg:

1. Fry sausage in a large pan (keep everything in a single layer) until crispy. Remove the sausage.
2. In the same pan, sauté peppers, onion, celery, and garlic in the sausage fat until softened.

Gumbo:

1. In a large pot, combine the prepared roux, chicken stock, sautéed vegetables, bay leaves, gumbo filé, smoked chicken, crispy sausage, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and extra seasoning if desired.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Serve hot over white or dirty rice with green onions.