4 tbsp. bacon fat or vegetable oil (for sauteing vegetables)
2 lg. onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 green peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb. diced cooked ham
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp. bacon fat or vegetable oil (for roux)
6 tbsp. plain flour (for roux)
2 qts. chicken broth or water approximately
3 tsp. salt, season to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
2 red peppers, optional
2 drops Tabasco, or season to taste, optional
1/2 tsp. thyme
3 tsp. chopped parsley
2 bay leaves, crushed
1 lb. fresh Okra, washed and sliced (discard stem ends)
10 sm. fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 lb. fresh crab meat, or 6 gumbo crabs, or two 6 1/2 oz. cans crab meat
3 lbs. fresh shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
1 pt. fresh oysters (drain and reserve liquor
3 tbsp. file powder

Heat bacon fat in a large skillet. Add onion, green peppers, celery, ham and garlic; cook mixture until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes). In a separate heavy metal pot, heat 5 tablespoons of bacon fat. Slowly add 6 tablespoons of flour stirring constantly. Simmer until the flour is dark brown (do not burn). Continue stirring and add enough liquid, water or chicken broth and reserved oyster liquor to the flour to form a thin roux (gravy). Continue stirring and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sauteed vegetables from the skillet and next 10 ingredients to the pot. Mix. Cover and slowly simmer the mixture for 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally. Add okra and tomatoes to the roux. Stir the crabmeat (drained), shrimp and oysters into the mixture and cook for 20 minutes or until the okra is tender and the edges of the oysters begin to curl. Remove from heat. Mix about 1/2 cup liquid with file powder and add to mixture. Mix into the gumbo thoroughly. Serve over mounds of rice. Makes about 16 servings.

NOTE: File powder should always be added after the mixture has been removed from the heat. If file powder is cooked, the gumbo will become stringy and unpalatable. When serving any leftover gumbo, heat but do not cook.