Welcome back to The Lost Cookbooks Show! While we just kicked off our deep dive into the massive Luncheons and Supper Dishes section with our new egg recipe poll, I couldn’t stop thinking about a dish from our previous week exploring the Soups section. Even though Potato Soup took the crown in that community poll, I knew I had to go back and make a seafood gumbo—especially since I knew it would be right up Steve’s alley.

My original game plan was to make the Shrimp, Crab, and Oyster Gumbo found on page 59 of my 1946 edition of The Joy of Cooking. However, tracking down fresh oysters here in Chattanooga turned into a bit of a hassle. I checked online and saw Publix carried a small amount for nearly $10, but I just couldn’t justify fighting local traffic for a tiny, overpriced jar. I decided to keep it simple and stick with the beautiful shrimp and crab meat I had already picked up from Sam’s Club.

While flipping through the cookbook to reassess, my eyes landed on the very next recipe on pages 59-60: “Crab Gumbo & Rice.” The magic ingredient that caught my attention? Bacon. I knew immediately that a bacon-infused gumbo base would be perfectly suited for Steve.

Of course, I couldn’t just leave well enough alone. I made several modern adjustments to Irma Rombauer’s 1946 original to give it a little more Southern depth and a serious kick.

My Vintage Recipe Upgrades

The original recipe called for sautéing two slices of bacon and a half-cup of sliced okra. I completely omitted the okra and fried up four slices of thin bacon instead, crumbling it up for a better texture. I also tossed in 12 large, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp at the very end to bulk up the seafood profile.

For the aromatics and liquids, I made a few simple swaps:

• Tomatoes: Instead of 2 cups of plain canned tomatoes, I used two 10-ounce cans of Rotel Original to bring in some extra flavor.
• Garlic & Lemon: I swapped the 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic for 2 full chopped cloves, and traded the 1/2 sliced lemon for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
• Spices: I bumped the paprika from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon and added a dash of creole seafood seasoning. Finally, to really bring the heat, I sprinkled in a tiny bit of my homemade super-hot pepper powder—made right from the dehydrated ghost and scorpion peppers out of my patio garden!

Chas’s Spicy Shrimp & Crab Gumbo

Ingredients:

• 4 slices thin bacon
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 (10 oz) cans Rotel Original
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups boiling water or seafood stock or chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Creole seafood seasoning (to taste)
• A sprinkle of hot pepper powder (careful with the ghost/scorpion powder!)
• 1 tbsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for a thickening paste)
• 1/2 lb fresh or canned crab meat
• 12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Steamed rice for serving

Instructions:

1. Build the Base: Fry the 4 slices of thin bacon in a heavy pot or cast-iron Dutch oven until crisp. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set it aside. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the hot bacon drippings.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add your chopped onion to the fat and sauté until it turns a light, golden brown. Once it is golden brown then add in garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.
3. Simmer the Broth: Stir in the two cans of Rotel, lemon juice, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then pour in 4 cups of boiling water (or stock). Season with the salt, paprika, creole seasoning, and your hot pepper powder.
4. The Long Cook: Lower the heat, cover, and let the gumbo simmer gently for 45 minutes to let those flavors marry.
5. Thicken & Finish: In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir this paste directly into the simmering gumbo. Finally, fold in your crab meat, the raw shrimp, and your crumbled bacon.
6. Serve: Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Ladle generously over hot steamed rice.

Estimated Nutritional Information (Per Serving – Assumes 4 Servings, includes 1/2 cup cooked white rice):

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 22 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fat: 9 g
• Fiber: 2 g

Steve and I absolutely loved how this turned out. The Rotel and the garden pepper powder gave it a beautiful, fiery kick that cut right through the richness of the bacon and crab. This updated vintage recipe is going straight into our regular dinner rotation.