New Orleans "Best" Gumbo

Ingredients

• 6 cups water 
• 1 pound chicken gizzards chopped
• 2 tablespoons lawry's seasoned salt 
• 2 teaspoons parsley 
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
• 1 tablespoon onion powder 
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 1 teaspoon pepper black
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 Dash ground pepper red (cayenne)
• 1.5 cups bell pepper green chopped
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 pounds mild sausage links to package directions and coin uncooked cut into 1-inch slices
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup flour all-purpose
• 4 cups water hot
• 1 pound okra frozen chopped
• 6 ounces crab meat frozen ready-to-serve thawed drained
• 2 pounds shrimp fresh deveined uncooked peeled
• 8 ounces regular hamburger smoked drained canned
• 1 serving rice hot cooked

Equipment

• sauce pan
• pot

Directions

1. In 8-quart pot, heat 6 cups water to boiling.
2. Add gizzards, seasoned salt, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, paprika, red pepper, bell pepper, onion and garlic.
3. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in sausage. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, in heavy 2-quart saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Stir in flour; reduce heat to medium. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is dark brown; remove from heat.
5. Stir flour mixture into gizzard mixture until blended. Stir in 4 cups hot water, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Stir in okra, crabmeat, shrimp and oysters.
6. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm.
7. Serve over rice.