Red Beans and Rice With Hot Sausage Using Crock Pot

Epp's Note:

Growing up in Louisiana and living in New Orleans ten years hooked me on red beans and rice. This is a recipe I've used for years but the first to enter online. It is a simple process I do on a Saturday or Sunday and freeze the leftovers for emergency comfort food. Seasoning is variable and estimated. I tend to not use much salt in my foods.

• Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb dried red kidney beans
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cajun seasoning
• ½-1 lb hot sausage , tube and not bulk, andouille & Cajun is best
• hot sauce

Directions:

1. Rinse red beans and remove any debris.
2. Add 7 cups of water, bay leaves, seasoning and the red beans to the crock pot.
3. Set crock pot to high setting.
4. Let cook for 4-6 hours or until beans soften.
5. Remove about 1/2 cup of beans and mash then return to crock pot.
6. Cut tube sausage into about 1/8" slices.
7. Brown slices in skillet then drain.
8. Add sausage slices to red beans.
9. Sauce with thicken over time and more so on reheating. If thicker consistency desired, mash more beans and return to crock pot. It will appear a bit thin at this point.
10. Cook on low for another 2-3 hours.
11. Serve over rice with French bread or similar.
12. Add hot sauce, like Tobasco, as desired.