Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.75 cups bacon drippings
• 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1 large onion , coarsely chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper , coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 pound andouille sausage , sliced
• 3 quartss water
• 6 cubess beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce , such as Tabasco
• 0.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend , such as Tony Chachere's
• 4 bays leaves
• 0.5 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1 can stewed tomatoes , 14.5 ounce
• 1 can tomato sauce , 6 ounce
• 4 teaspoons file powder , divided
• 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
• 2 packages frozen cut okra , 10 ounce
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 pound lump crabmeat
• 3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp , peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients.

2. 2

   Make the roux: Whisk together flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Cook roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.

3. 3

   Make the gumbo: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped.

4. 4

   Stir vegetables into roux, and mix in sliced sausage. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. 5

   Combine water and beef bouillon cubes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until bouillon cubes dissolve, then whisk roux mixture into the boiling water.

6. 6

   Reduce heat to a simmer and mix in sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add okra and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes; remove okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.

8. 8

   Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.

9. 9

   Serve hot and enjoy!