1 cup of flour
¾ cup of bacon drippings
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
2 Celery Ribs. diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Cloves of garlic, minced finely
2 Medium cans of diced tomatoes (puree a little with an immersion blender stick)
1 Knorr beef bouillon cube
2 cups of water
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of Thyme
1 Small can of stewed tomatoes
1 Pound of smoked kielbasa, sliced
2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
2 dozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small package of frozen okra
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
Pinch of sugar
A splash or 4 of hot sauce

The Key is the Roux!

Whisk over medium-low heat until it is a mahogany brown color; can take anywhere from 45-75 minutes, depending on the pot you use.
You cannot walk away from this, so plan to stand and babysit the roux. Grab a glass of wine first!

When the roux is done, remove from the heat.

Add the trinity (onion, celery, pepper) and garlic, stir to combine and sauté until soft, about 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes, bouillon, water, seasonings, chicken and kielbasa, sugar, corn, beans and return to heat.

Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

If adding crabmeat, add it after the long simmer so it doesn’t overcook.

Fifteen (15) minutes before serving, stir in 2 teaspoons of gumbo file powder (gumbo file powder is ground up leaves from the sassafras tree and is added for a cooling aroma and taste.)

Serve with saffron rice or cheesy grits.