Gumbo is a West African word that means okra.  Gumbo is a delicious Creole stew flavored stock made with meat or shellfish.  My grandmother said gumbo could be as thin as soup or thick as gravy.  The test of good gumbo is how favorable the stock is.

GROUND BEEF GUMBO

2 cups cooked yellow rice, 1 lb. (80/20) ground beef, 1 lb. andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch slices, 1/2 cup white onion, chopped, 1/4 cup celery, chopped, 2 T. minced garlic, 1/8 cup green bell pepper, chopped, 1/2 cup green onions, chopped, 1/4 cup butter, 1 T. shortening, 1/4 cup flour, 5 cups beef broth, 2 cups water, 2 bay leaves, 1 T. of the following, beef bouillon,  ground cumin, ground thyme, ground oregano, smoked paprika, dried parsley,  onion powder, 2 T. chili powder, 2 dried Ancho chilis, 1 (8 oz.) bottle  dark beer, 1 (14.5 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 (10 oz.) can green chilies and tomatoes, 2 cups fried okra for garnish.

Get out a bowl, add the ground beef. Season the meat with salt and pepper, roll into small balls. Get out a dutch oven, add the ground beef balls, brown the meet.  Add the sausage, onions, celery, bell pepper, celery, and green onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes.  Add the beef broth, bay leaves, and all the dry seasonings, mix well, reduce the heat to a simmer.  Get out a skillet, add the butter and shortening, melt the shortening, add the flour stir with a whisk until the roux mixture is the color of peanut butter.  Add the beer, diced tomatoes, green chilies and tomatoes, and corn mix well, add the contents to the dutch oven, mix well.  Cook for at least 10 minutes or until the flour taste is gone.

Get out a shallow bowl, add a large ice cream scoop of yellow rice, spoon the gumbo around the rice. Sprinkle the fried okra on top and serve.