Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup bacon drippings
• 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• 3 quarts water
• 6 cubes beef bouillon
• 1 Tbs white sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 Tbs hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• ½ tsp Cajun seasoning blend, or to taste
• 4 bay leaves
• ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato sauce
• 4 tsp file powder, divided
• 2 Tbs bacon drippings
• 2 (10 oz) pkg frozen cut okra, thawed
• 2 Tbs distilled white vinegar
• 1 lb lump crabmeat
• 3 lb uncooked med shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

Directions Roux:

• Step 1
  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.

Directions Gumbo:

• Step 1
  Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor; pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir vegetables into the roux and mix in sausage. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Step 2
  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.

• Step 3
  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.

• Step 4
  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.

• Step 5
  Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce; simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.