Chesapeake Bay Maryland Crab Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 lb. beef neck bones
2 cans okra
4 cans lima beans
1 1/2 to 2 lb. string beans
1 large onion
4 large carrots
4 cans corn
48 oz. tomato sauce
2 to 4 Tbsp. mustard
20 drops Tabasco sauce
3 c. vinegar
4 heaping Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
6 dashes red pepper
5 tsp. salt
2 to 2 1/2 doz. steamed crabs
4 medium potatoes
4 stalks celery
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
4 cans green peas
4 cans tomatoes

Preparation

Put 8 quarts of water in 24-quart canning pot and start cooking neck bones for approximately 2 hours.
Remove bones, return meat to stock and add steamed crabs that have had the outer shell removed and that have been cleaned and split in half and then split again across the middle, crack claws.
Dice potatoes, slice carrots, onions, celery and break beans and add to pot.
Cook 2 hours and then add rest of vegetables and seasonings.
Continue to simmer for 1 hour.
Makes approximately 6 gallons.