Seafood Gumbo

0 Make a dark roux, if you’re making one, and set it aside. (You need 16 oz. or 2 cups of roux to make this recipe. If you are going to make your own roux, please read how to make a dark roux.)
1 Prep the ingredients. This means chop the veggies. Peel your shrimp. Measure out your water and stock. Find a pot large enough. (It needs to fit 17 cups liquid plus 4 ½ lbs. seafood.)
2 Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in your gumbo pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped veggies. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until softened.
3 Add the liquid. Pour in the water and the stock, and bring to a boil. You can turn up the heat to high at this point, but it’s still going to take 15-20 minutes or so to bring this amount of liquid to a boil.
4 Season the liquid with salt and salt-free Creole seasoning.
5 Add the roux. When the liquid has reached a rolling boil, measure in the roux, stirring consistently to help the mixture break down into the boiling water.
6 Simmer for at least 30 minutes. You can simmer it for longer if you so desire to let the flavors meld.
7 Twenty minutes before serving, add the shrimp to the gumbo liquid.
8 Fifteen minutes before serving, add in the oyster and crab, stirring occasionally to cook. It is important to add the seafood at the very end so that it doesn’t overcook and get tough!
9 Give the gumbo a taste, and add extra seasonings, if necessary.
10 Serve immediately with rice and your favorite garnishes.