Settle this argument for me. Brown the Trinity before putting in a gumbo or not?

I brown, but don’t go all the way with them like I would a jambalaya.

Whatever works for you…

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I always brown the Trinity before adding to the gumbo while it’s boiling.

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I've never heard of doing this. The roux cooks the trinity and then the boiling/simmering after stock is added cooks the trinity even more.

Doesn't settle your argument, but I have gone with either way... Just dumping in uncooked trinity to the boiling broth before adding the cooled roux, or hitting the roux with the trinity to stop the cooking. I don't think it makes a huge difference in the final taste, but I always have a little more plain roux to add later if I put raw trinity in the broth, because it waters down the gumbo when it cooks.

Cooks Illustrated did a test with soup made with raw veg just dumped in the broth versus sautéed veg. The sautéed version was deemed better with more flavor.

In gumbo, the difference may not be as noticeable because of the other strong flavors.

I always sautée my trinity in the roux, then add stock, etc.

If you aren't adding the trinity to the roux, you don't get one of the most wonderful smells out there. I

I thought this was a mandatory part of gumbo making.

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I also add the onions first for about 5 minutes before adding the rest

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Same. I find the water released by the rest of the trinity interferes with my onion browning.

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Build roux on trinity to color and tackiness. Beer. Return meats and stock it up, few good shakes of hot sauce for acidity. Beer. Beer. Nap. Make potato salad. Crack eggs directly in when you’re ready to serve

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What kind of voodoo is this? Pretty sure if you do this naked in the moonlight with a dead chicken at some point in the process you will summon the devil. Be careful with this.

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Add remaining trinity and jalapeños.

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When making a darker roux, it helps stop the roux from cooking further and possibly burning.

I also add the onions first for about 5 minutes before adding the rest

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This is the way I was taught. I'm also a Yankee and didn't have a Mee Maw or Paw Paw teach me how to build a gumbo. I'm also a one-pot person so my roux is made in a dutch oven and not in a separate pan.

To those that do it any other way, I favor the stance that it's your gumbo and there's no one way to make one. But after prep mine goes roux>onions>BP&C>seasoning>stock>protein and it come out great without complaints.