K-Jon's Red Beans and Rice

K-Jon Chef's Note:

This is comfort food for me. Being a New Orleans native there is no other dish that is this easy and good. It is traditionally made on Sunday and eaten on Monday (always better the second day). It can have a variety of meats such as ham, ham hock, bacon, pickled meat, smoked sausage or andouille sausage. you can also make this vegan if you leave out the Worcestershire, meat and use a vegetable stock. You can make this mild or jack it up to make it spicy. You must used dried beans, but in a pinch you can use caned. What ever you choose this is a great home cooked New Orleans dish for all to love!

• Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 2 cup s ...

• 1 lb kidney beans, dried or 4 caned light red kidney beans
• 1 1/2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups bell peppers, diced
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced fine
• 1/4 cup garlic, minced fine
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups beef stock
• 4 cups water (or as needed)
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 lbs meat, total (smoked sausage, ham hock preferred)
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat or 2 tablespoons oil

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight and add a pinch of baking soda, this will soften the hulls and break the beans down easier.
2. cook vegetables 15 minutes or until soft.
3. Add spices and cook 5 minuted more.
4. Add beans and add stock, and ham hock if using. Bring to soft boil and cover.
5. I like to cut the sausage on the bias and cook in separate pan crispy and set aside.
6. cook the beans for 3 hours or until they start to break down and get creamy. You might have to take out 1 cups of bean mixture and puree with a splash of olive oil to thicken the beans. also if you have used the hock pull the meat from the bone and cut into bite size pieces if needed.
7. Now add you crispy sausage and cook 15 minutes more.
8. Serve over rice and crusty french bread, oh yea Beer.
9. I also like to add hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce at the table.