Red Beans & Rice Recipes

[Colors]

Have some beans soaking right now in preparation for making a big pot of Red Beans & Rice tomorrow. Who has the goods on a great recipe?

[scottlr]

It's really a simple dish, unless you NOLA it up. Away from NOLA, all you do is cook the beans (pinto) with salt & pepper (black & red) and some smoke pork. Where the beans are about done, cut up some good smoked sausage in it, and simmer a little longer. Put rice on a plate and ladle a bunch on it, and the cornbread you made while it was cooking. In the country, they never put a bunch of other stuff in it. No onions, no tomato, none of that stuff. Want the real deal? This is it.

[SL_22]

can't go wrong with garlic, onion, & sausage. after they're done, i like to add some sour cream.

[Colors]

I like to fry garlic, onion, green bell pepper, & celery in bacon grease for a few minutes and then add that to the beans. Bacon grease is the key.

[bluejazzoid]

I was born in Louisiana, and if you want to do it right do this:

(1)lb red beans - soak 24hrs
(1) white onion, chopped fine
(1) green bell pepper, chopped fine
(3-4) celery stalks, chopped fine
(2-3) cloves garlic, minced
(2-3) bay leaves
(1-2) tsp red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper - to taste
(1-2) tbsp Tony's Seasoning (or equiv.)
(1) tsp oregano
(1/4)cup Worcestershire
(1)lb smoked sausage, sliced (or andouille if you can get it)
(1) smoked ham hock
salt and black pepper (to taste)
(1) tbsp vegetable oil
(1) can chicken stock
(5) cups water

(Note: I put the veggies in a blender, but you can just chop them fine if you like)

In a large pot, brown the sausage (med-hi heat) in the vegetable oil, stirring to brown evenly. Once the sausage is ready, add the chicken stock first, then the veggies, all the other spices, then the beans and ham hock, and finally the additional water to cover everything completely. Bring to a boil, and the cover and simmer (reduced heat) for about 3 hours (until beans are completely softened), stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves and ham hock before serving.

Serve with freshly cooked rice and crusty french bread (if you can get it).

[derek_32999]

holy chit! yum!

[frank62]

Thanks for that one. A perfect first fall meal.

[Colors]

Originally Posted by bluejazzoid

I was born in Louisiana, and if you want to do it right do this:

(1)lb red beans - soak 24hrs
(1) white onion, chopped fine
(1) green bell pepper, chopped fine
(3-4) celery stalks, chopped fine
(2-3) cloves garlic, minced
(2-3) bay leaves
(1-2) tsp red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper - to taste
(1-2) tbsp Tony's Seasoning (or equiv.)
(1) tsp oregano
(1/4)cup Worcestershire
(1)lb smoked sausage, sliced (or andouille if you can get it)
(1) smoked ham hock
salt and black pepper (to taste)
(1) tbsp vegetable oil
(1) can chicken stock
(5) cups water

(Note: I put the veggies in a blender, but you can just chop them fine if you like)

In a large pot, brown the sausage (med-hi heat) in the vegetable oil, stirring to brown evenly. Once the sausage is ready, add the chicken stock first, then the veggies, all the other spices, then the beans and ham hock, and finally the additional water to cover everything completely. Bring to a boil, and the cover and simmer (reduced heat) for about 3 hours (until beans are completely softened), stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves and ham hock before serving.

Serve with freshly cooked rice and crusty french bread (if you can get it).

Muchas gracias.

[PhilC]

Do not forget the bacon grease and ham hocks. I cook about a half dozen pieces of bacon first then quickly saute the trinity (onions, green peppers and celery) in the bacon fat and add a shake or two of Chachere's seasoning. Once those are getting close translucent I throw in 4-5 large diced cloves of garlic. Once those cook for a minute or 2, chicken stock, salt, andouille, the ham hocks (sometimes all I can find are smoked turkey wings), worcestershire, a few bay leaves, garlic powder, hot sauce and the soaked beans. let that cook for at least 4 hours stirring every now and again. Once the beans start breaking down I start tasting and adjusting using Creole seasoning. You have to let it cook until the beans break down enough for the starch to be released. I hate a bowl of red beans and rice that's more like soup. It should be thick. The bacon fat, the marrow from the hocks and the starch from the beans is the trick. White rice, a crunchy baguette and you're set. I make red beans and rice at least twice a month. I love it.

[Roark]

Thanks for recipe bluejazz.

Looks like Tony's seasoning is available online, as is the andouille.

http://shop.tonychachere.com/smoked-...in-c-8013.html

I see it in my future.

[abadiemet]

Originally Posted by Roark

Thanks for recipe bluejazz.

Looks like Tony's seasoning is available online, as is the andouille.

http://shop.tonychachere.com/smoked-...in-c-8013.html

I see it in my future.

Some of the best andouille in Louisiana (the bacon is also incredible):

http://www.cajunsausage.com/ProductDescriptions.htm

[bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by scottlr

It's really a simple dish, unless you NOLA it up. Away from NOLA, all you do is cook the beans with salt & pepper (black & red) and some smoke pork. Where the beans are about done, cut up some good smoked sausage in it, and simmer a little longer. Put rice on a plate and ladle a bunch on it, and the cornbread you made while it was cooking. In the country, they never put a bunch of other stuff in it. No onions, no tomato, none of that stuff. Want the real deal? This is it.

Don't cook beans with salt. It makes them tough. Add salt after cooking.

[Bobby D]

n awlins style

[centuryx3]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy

Don't cook beans with salt. It makes them tough. Add salt after cooking.

Virtually every beans recipe calls for smoked meat of some type. They all contain salt. I cook all beans dishes with salt and have never encountered a "tough" bean in 57 years of life. Except an ex-girlfriend or two.

[SuperSonic]

Salt is fine, dried beans can have substantially different cooking times from variety to variety and manufacturer to manufacturer. The best tip I know is to take a cup of the beans out and break up with a wooden spoon and add back. This will add body to your recipe.