Is it ok to use frozen okra in gumbo?

Question

I would like to make some gumbo, but I can not find fresh okra locally. Is it ok to use frozen okra sourced from a Indian supermarket instead?

Asked by Shannon

Answer

Yep, that'll be fine. For other purposes, it might not be your favorite - sometimes it can get a little more of the "slimy" coating that people don't like - but since you're cooking it in gumbo, it's all just going to get taken up into the stew (where it'll provide some thickening, as intended), so no worries.

A little more, if you're curious: okra contains mucilage, which is thick and slimy or gluey. If it's cooked quickly, it doesn't have time to release much. But when it's cooked long and slow, like in gumbo, plenty is released and dissolved in the soup, where it acts as a thickener. Frozen okra sometimes releases the mucilage more readily, presumably because the structure of the plant has been disrupted by the ice crystals formed during freezing. This might make it unappealing when eaten on its own, but if you're making stewed okra or gumbo, where it would all have come out anyway, it doesn't make any difference. (I suspect that good quality frozen okra which has been flash-frozen, might fare better, but I don't have the experience to say for sure, and it won't make any difference to you!)

Answered by Jefromi

Check more discussion of this question.

Frozen veggies meets gumbo = flavorless. How to add flavor?

Question

So, last time I made gumbo, I got the veggies chopped (onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic) and then realized I had prepped twice as much as I needed.

I froze the extra ingredients, labeled for future use for gumbo.

I'm making it again now, and it's pretty flavorless. (See below for exactly what I've done.) Since the last time I made it was over a month ago, I don't recall exactly whether it was this bland last time.

What might cause flavorless gumbo? Is it the frozen veggies?
Is this dish supposed to be somewhat bland? I've actually only had it once or twice at a restaurant. How could/should I add more flavor to the current batch?

Process:

1. Heat 1.5 TB oil, add 1.5 TB flour to make a dark brown roux.
2. If I were using fresh veggies, I'd add them next. Instead, I held off.
3. Add 1/2 cup tomato sauce, stir until it gets crumbly & dry.
4. I then added the defrosted, drained veggies.
5. Fry 1/2 pound okra in a separate skillet until it's less sticky & less stringy, then add to the pot.
6. Add 1 cup fresh, chopped tomatoes.
7. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups water.
8. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, some salt, pepper, and I actually also added a dash of hot pepper sauce since it was so blah-tasting.
9. Simmer for an hour.
   .... this is where I am now, and it's just.. blah, still.
10. The next step will be to add 1/2 pound shrimp, a bay leaf, some fresh parsley, and cook for another 30 minutes.

Answer

I think the problem is that in the original recipe you would have browned the veggies in the roux, which develops flavor. Since you didn't do that, you might want to saute some onions and garlic until well browned and add that in. Other possibilities:

(1) Sauce may just need to reduce and become more concentrated (2) May need more salt (3) May need a little more acid (a bit of vinegar or lemon juice)

Check more discussion of this question.