Dumbo's jumbo gumbo

[jaysouth]

I never thought I would need a ladder to pick Okra. It is over 8 feet tall this year and yields 3-4 pounds every two days. I eat it fried, pickle them, and slice and freeze. I will need around 20 pounds of frozen for venison and duck gumbo that I cook up in 5 gallon batches.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l222/jwsoutherland/jumbogumbo_zpsc2105fba.jpg (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/jwsoutherland/media/jumbogumbo_zpsc2105fba.jpg.html)

[s mac]

Not to shabby, one year my wife had some reach 13ft, I had to measure it, amazing. Love the stuff.

[DeanWinchester]

If ya wanna give it an extra kick, you could put a few grains of Hodgdon Retumbo in your Dumbo jumbo gumbo.

[jaysouth]

The jumbo gumbo is not dumbo. I'm dumbo, just ask my loving wife.

My grandfather always held that you could make a dog mean by putting gunpowder in his food. He also held that you could break a mule by jumping on it's back and biting down on the mule's ear and holding on until the mule quit bucking. He said that it took a quart of shine' to get the taste of mule out of your mouth.

[wch]

I never thought I would need a ladder to pick Okra. It is over 8 feet tall this year and yields 3-4 pounds every two days. I eat it fried, pickle them, and slice and freeze. I will need around 20 pounds of frozen for venison and duck gumbo that I cook up in 5 gallon batches.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l222/jwsoutherland/jumbogumbo_zpsc2105fba.jpg (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/jwsoutherland/media/jumbogumbo_zpsc2105fba.jpg.html)

jaysouth, if you can some of that gumbo and let me know, I'll buy it.

[375RUGER]

I've had it reach 9' before. This year, Dad, had it 8' the last pic he sent and that was over a month ago.

[snuffy]

I had to look up "okra". Yeah I've heard of it, but never knew what it was. I doubt it would grow up here in the frozen tundra, so I'll probably never get to try it. Wiki has a good write up on it, sounds like I would like it. Those are some impressive looking plants! Bon appetite!

[quilbilly]

Wish it would grow here without a hot house

[starmac]

You can't even buy it in Alaska, much less grow it. lol

[JeffinNZ]

We don't get okra here. Tell me about it.

[mikeym1a]

The fruit is a green pod, which is usually (in my experience) cut into pieces in cross section, rolled in a cornmeal batter, and then fried. It is used other ways, but, I prefer the fried version. That's the way Momma always fixed it. After reading this post, I cannot remember how big Pop's okra grew, nor where he grew it. Probably down in the hollow behind the old chicken house. That's where he grew the squash. He grew one variety called 'spaghetti squash'. When cooked properly, the 'meat' of the squash came out in strings very much like spaghetti. If you had a good cook, and a good imagination, it even tasted like spaghetti. We had okra for many years, but can't remember where he grew it, unless it was down in the hollow. That would have ended about the time I went into the service. Momma wanted a pond, with ducks. Pop generally gave Momma what she asked for. Too long ago. Can't remember where he grew that okra. GGGGgggggrrrrrr!

[Rick N Bama]

Okra is a cousin to Cotton, so much so that the blooms look almost alike. It loves long & hot summers, the hotter the better it will grow. I planted a variety called "Cowhorn" a few years ago that reached up to be 10' tall. My Clemson Spineless is about 6' tall this year, but it hasn't produced well for some reason or the other.

I like it fried with a Potato cut up & fried with it.

Rick

[762 shooter]

Okra and stewed tomatoes over rice topped with smoked sausage is so good it should be illegal. Steamed okra with butter is good, but an acquired taste. Has a texture of lumpy snot. Mmmm good.

762

[oldarkie]

okra and stewed tomatoes, grandma would tell everyone to cross there legs before they take a bite.

[w5pv]

I grow type called bush okra,it grows to about 5 foot tall it is a cowhorn type okra but best when picked about 5 to 7 inches long.Okra is a warm weather plant.It may would grow in a hot house with grow lights.A little vinegar will cut the slime.This okra will start bearing when about 18 inches tall.
I read where the DEA cut down a bunch of it for dope around Dallas/Fort Worth area.Shows how smart they are?

[jaysouth]

I always plant the Clemson Spineless variety, always in the same place. I have had okra in the same spot for 9 years now. When the season is over, I cut the plants at ground level and haul away. The roots rot out and add organic matter to the soil, which I emend every year with a little composted horse manure. I figure that the roots will go down at least 6-8 feet, which makes a very sturdy plant. Because the roots are so deep, I almost never have to water. Getting good ph balance is important and a chore to test soil down 6 feet. I normally have 16-18 pants which will yield 2-3 pounds every other day in good times.

When I was a child, the very poor ate okra boiled stem and all. Cooked this way it is so slimy that some stomachs are turned. I prefer it sliced crosswise, dredged in flour and cornmeal, salted and peppered and fried in peanut oil/butter mix. Done properly, I had rather have it than popcorn. Dusted with a little cayenne, it makes cold beer taste even better.

[popper]

JeffinNZ - you have to be from the south USA to appreciate okra. Same with almost anything green here, + zucchini. I'm a Yankee. Actually, some asians use it to make hooch.

[snuffy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra

Good read on wikipedia. I've never looked for it in the stores, maybe It was always there, just wasn't looking for it.

[429421Cowboy]

I love me some okra! Fried is the best, but layered with tomatoes, onion, and zucchini and ground lamb is how my Armenian family makes it, and that is really good as well. We call it bahmian (or something like that, at least that is how it's pronounced!) and believe the secret to not getting the slime is to layer it then cook slowly without stirring it, because stirring it breaks up the okra, which leads to the slime from inside. Seems to be true because I have never had slimy okra at my grandma's house!

[DxieLandMan]

Got to say that I love my okra too. Just make sure you wear gloves when picking it. I made the mistake of not doing that once, and only once.

[starmac]

I am not sure how a person could grow up without eating fried okra and squash, throw in some onions and taters, and I could eat it three meals a day. lol

I worked with a crew out of washington and none of them had ever eaten okra or squash, when I started cutting it up they thought I was crazy, but it was gone by the time I got through cooking. I didn't get the first bite. lol

I could never forget where dad grew it, because I was the one that got to pull weeds and pick it as far back as I remember. lol

[Rick N Bama]

I grow type called bush okra,it grows to about 5 foot tall it is a cowhorn type okra but best when picked about 5 to 7 inches long.

I wonder why mine grew so tall? I've not planted it since due to the height as it sure became a pain to cut having to bend the stalks down to get to the pods.

Rick

[375RUGER]

jaysouth,
Please, if you don't mind, posting your gumbo recipe. Outlaws are coming next week and I think i'll make a batch gumbo.
I'm cutting up about 10# of okra right now.
Thanks

[toddrod]

seafood (crab meat and shrimp) okra gumbo is the bomb dot com down in in south Louisiana.

[km101]

We don't get okra here. Tell me about it.


Jeff, why is there no okra in NZ? It should grow there as well as here. How long is your growing season?
I would think that if you could grow potatoes (as you have shown us) you should be able to grow Okra!

Say the word and I'll send you some seed! (unless it is regulated/prohibited?)

[oneokie]

I wonder why mine grew so tall? I've not planted it since due to the height as it sure became a pain to cut having to bend the stalks down to get to the pods.

Rick

Could be due to growing conditions, nutrients. Last year mine was over 8', this year maybe 6', from the same lot of seed.

[s mac]

Another way we like it is to coat the whole pods with olive oil, salt and pepper, place it on a hot grill, turn after a minute or so. cooks very fast.

[jaysouth]

jaysouth,
Please, if you don't mind, posting your gumbo recipe. Outlaws are coming next week and I think i'll make a batch gumbo.
I'm cutting up about 10# of okra right now.
Thanks

Not bragging, I am a school trained chef with 30 year experience, however the best gumbo recipe I have ever cooked/eaten comes from a world famous Louisiana caster/shooter/cook who has been posting on this site for a very long time.

Here is Junior1942s recipe from his website. http://www.castbullet.com/cooking/jrgumbo.htm

Make one batch according to the letter of his recipe and then modify it to suit your own tastes. I have used duck breast, chicken thighs, venison, sandhill crane, Cajun sausage, country sausage, polish sausage, alligator and grocery store beef and pork. Just about anything works well with his recipe. Just don't burn the roux. When the roux is the proper color, do not add any liquids. Stir in your mirapoux first to temper the roux then add the next ingredients. Mirapoux is a mixture of aromatic root vegetables with green peppers added for Cajun tradition.

Enjoy

[375RUGER]

Awesome. I like the sounds of that better than the recipe I have.
Thank you much.

[mikeym1a]

JeffinNZ - you have to be from the south USA to appreciate okra. Same with almost anything green here, + zucchini. I'm a Yankee. Actually, some asians use it to make hooch.

The okra or the zucchini???

[starmac]

We can grow potatoes, but okra loves hot weather, and sure wont produce up here. I don't know of any grown in the dakotas or even Idaho for that matter, and that is big potato country. Anybody in Idaho grow okra?

[1Shirt]

Mine got a little over 3 feet tall in Ne. Love it fried!
1Shirt!

[oneokie]

If you can grow cotton in your location, okra will produce.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Not bragging, I am a school trained chef with 30 year experience, however the best gumbo recipe I have ever cooked/eaten comes from a world famous Louisiana caster/shooter/cook who has been posting on this site for a very long time.

Here is Junior1942s recipe from his website. http://www.castbullet.com/cooking/jrgumbo.htm

Make one batch according to the letter of his recipe and then modify it to suit your own tastes. I have used duck breast, chicken thighs, venison, sandhill crane, Cajun sausage, country sausage, polish sausage, alligator and grocery store beef and pork. Just about anything works well with his recipe. Just don't burn the roux. When the roux is the proper color, do not add any liquids. Stir in your mirapoux first to temper the roux then add the next ingredients. Mirapoux is a mixture of aromatic root vegetables with green peppers added for Cajun tradition.

Enjoy


I don't put tomatoes in my gumbo. Neither did my great grandmother, my grandmother or my mom or either of a couple of mothers-in-law, one of whom was a Robichaux.

Okra gumbo is different than file' (made with a roux) gumbo. File' gumbo is more of a fall and winter meal, after the okra's long gone from the gardens.

Here's my recipe. Gumbo
(http://mostlycajun.com/wordpress/?p=4)

Simple dish. simple ingredients. great results.

dale in Louisiana

[Dale in Louisiana]

Oh, and a favorite okra recipe? Cut 'em when they're about three or four inches long, put 'em in a pot with a little sallt, pepper, vinegar and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then eat just like that. I love 'em.

Another recipe: Cut the okra up into 1/4 -3/8" slices, put a couple of strips of bacon in your cast iron skillet, render down some fat, toss in the okra, some chopped onion, and a can of tomatoes. Over medium heat, cook, stirring frequently until most of the liquid is gone. Salt and pepper (black and red). This is Cajun 'smothered okra'. Makes a substantial side dish.

Dale in Louisiana

[mikeym1a]

Oh, and a favorite okra recipe? Cut 'em when they're about three or four inches long, put 'em in a pot with a little sallt, pepper, vinegar and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then eat just like that. I love 'em.

Another recipe: Cut the okra up into 1/4 -3/8" slices, put a couple of strips of bacon in your cast iron skillet, render down some fat, toss in the okra, some chopped onion, and a can of tomatoes. Over medium heat, cook, stirring frequently until most of the liquid is gone. Salt and pepper (black and red). This is Cajun 'smothered okra'. Makes a substantial side dish.

Dale in Louisiana

made me hungry at 0346. :sad:

[charlie3tuna]

Got to say that I love my okra too. Just make sure you wear gloves when picking it. I made the mistake of not doing that once, and only once.

In addition to gloves, wear long sleeves and pants. Okra doesn't like me very much. Gives me the willies seeing jaysouth just standing there unprotected....charlie

[Rick N Bama]

In addition to gloves, wear long sleeves and pants. Okra doesn't like me very much. Gives me the willies seeing jaysouth just standing there unprotected....charlie

I cut mine every other day in a pair of shorts & a T-Shirt. If I'm careful a quick hand washing when I get back into the house takes care of any stinging. It's still too dang hot here to wear pants & a long sleeve out in the garden.

Rick

[DLCTEX]

Too much nitrogen will make plants grow too tall. I thought the plants in the picture were marijuana with the five skinny lobes on the leaves. I'm accustomed to a broader leaf. Clemson Spineless is my preferred variety. Cowhorn is a stickery variety and long sleeves are recommended for picking. I cut the stem to pick and it needs to be picked young to avoid being "woody".

[starmac]

I cut mine every other day in a pair of shorts & a T-Shirt. If I'm careful a quick hand washing when I get back into the house takes care of any stinging. It's still too dang hot here to wear pants & a long sleeve out in the garden.

Rick
I thought I had been in some hot places, but never seen it that hot. lol

[Blammer]

get a machette, chop it down, pick okra, done, don't have to worry about picking it everyday.

[Gator 45/70]

Sea Food Gumbo
• 1 Cup of Oil
• 2 Cups of Flour
• 6 quarts of water
• 1 10-ounce can rotel
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 cups of onions
• 1 cup bell pepper (I use red yellow green to give it a different color)
• 1 clove garlic-minced
• 4 pounds of peeled & diveined shrimp ( I use 40-50 count)
• 1 pound crab (lump) meat
• 1 pint of oysters & reserve the liquid.
• Salt, pepper, Cayenne to taste.

1. Make a dark roux with oil and flour; add water and bring to a slow boil until all the roux is dissolved. Once roux is dissolved add rotel, seasoning, and veggies and cook till tender, then simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours.
2. Add shrimp and add temp to bring back to a low boil, cook for another 6-10 mins (till shrimp or pink) then add rest of seafood. (If liquid is too thick and some oyster liquid till thin to your liking) cook for another 10 Mins. And then serve over cooked rice.
Note-You could buy already made roux it’s the same, just add ½ 10 oz jar or the whole jar & then thin with oyster juice/water.
Should serve 10-12 normal people or about 4 hungry Cajuns! Also Potato Salad will go good with this!!
Bon Appetit

[dondiego]

Clemson Spineless grows to about 5 feet tall in my SE Michigan garden. It is rarely used by the locals but the transplanted Southerners know what it is and always ask me for it. I have actually grown peanuts and chick peas here in Michigan. I was raised in Texas. It is hard to get fresh blackeyed peas here in MI too.

[popper]

The okra or the zucchini??? Either! My first exposure to Okra was Filipinos (USN -Corpus - all kinds of strange veggies in a gallon coffee can, 1-Qt sugar and baking yeast, set behind the reefer to rot for a while) making booze with it. Second was ex-SIL who got married then tried to learn to cook. You know, where they rotate dinner at the homes, then go out to get some palatable food.

[Rick N Bama]

Clemson Spineless grows to about 5 feet tall in my SE Michigan garden.

I had no idea that Okra would grow & produce that far north.

Rick