Seafood Gumbo

1/4 cup salad oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion,diced
1 large green pepper,diced
1 garlic clove,crushed
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
12 oysters in shell
2 16-ounce cans tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen
okra,sliced
6 cups water
1 pound shelled and deveined
shrimp
1/2 pound fresh or 16-ounce
package frozen Alaska King
crab,thawed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper
sauce
hot cooked rice

In 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, in very hot salad oil, gradually cook flour until dark brown but not burned,about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in onion, green pepper, garlic, salt and thyme leaves; cook until onion and green pepper are tender, stirring occasionally.
Open oysters and drain liquid into flour mixture; refrigerate oysters. Add tomatoes with their liquid, okra and water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 30 minutes, or just until mixture thickens slightly.
Add oysters, shrimp, crab and hot pepper sauce; cook 10 minutes , stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink and opaque.
Serve in soup bowls with a scoop of rice.