12 boiled, cleaned blue crabs (break in half and crack claws)
5 lbs. shrimp (boil shrimp in water seasoned with crab boil, onions, 1/2
sliced lemons, salt to taste)

Strain shrimp broth and save to make gumbo. Peel shrimp and refrigerate with cleaned crabs until the gumbo base is made.

BASE:

1/2 c. bacon grease
2 fresh tomatoes or 1 c. canned tomatoes
2 lg. onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 c. diced celery
3 tbsp. gumbo file
1 c. diced ham or 4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
1/2 lb. okra
2/3 c. flour to thicken roux
2 bay leaves

Place bacon grease in iron skillet, add flour and brown to a dark, dark brown (careful not to burn). Add chopped onion, celery fry until onion begins to brown, then add garlic and the washed sliced thin okra. Quickly stir in 1 gallon shrimp broth. Add chopped tomatoes. Let simmer 1 hour. Add shrimp and crabs. Simmer 10 minutes. Add gumbo file. DO NOT BOIL GUMBO AFTER THE FILE HAS BEEN ADDED. Serve over cooked long grain rice.