Classic Red Beans and Rice
photo by Lavender Lynn
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 20mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4-6
ingredients
- 1 lb dried red beans
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 lb smoked sausage, casings removed and sausage cut into 1/4 inch pcs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning or 1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 lb ham hock
- 2 1⁄2 quarts chicken stock
- 3 -4 cooked rice
directions
- Rinse the beans under cold water in a colander. Throw away any broken beans or pebbles. Put the beans into a large bowl and add enough water to cover them by about 2 inches. Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. (Quick method = bring the beans and enough water to cover them by 2 inches to a boil in a large pot over high heat and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover tightly, let stand for 1 hour.).
- Heat up the oil in a big, heavy stockpot over med-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic - cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes or until softened. Add the sausage, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne, black pepper, thyme and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for about 4-5 minutes or until the sausage is browned. Add the ham hock and cook for 3 minutes.
- Drain the beans and add them to the pot. pour in enough stock to cover the whole mixture by about 1 inch. Bring this to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally - approx 2 hours. Remove and throw away the bay leaves.
- Mash up about 1/4 of the bean mixture. This will thicken the juices. Remove the ham hock and let cool slightly. Slice the meat from the bone, throwing away the skin and bones. Return the meat to the pot and heat it through.
- Spoon the rice into bowls and top with the beans. Relax and enjoy!
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
Such an all-American adventure! While one of us predictably found it too spicy, we all agreed the dish was perfectly delicious. The beans finally softened in the last hour, and the mashed beans created a nice sauce in a half-hour of final simmering. Be patient and give it the time it needs, and this dish will reward you with some good old Southern country comfort.
-
Wonderful, tasty beans and rice!!! I made this as written except I omitted the green peppers, due to DH's dislike and added sliced celery, and seasoned with several shakes of cayenne pepper but less then called for in the recipe, big whimp lol. I also used smoke sausage, as was stated in the intro, but then noticed in the ingredients it said andouille sausage, but I stuck with the smoke sausage as I already had a skinless unopened package. This has a fantastic flavor from all the seasonings and veggies. Served ours over rice and sprinkled it with some sliced green onions. I made this over two days, so it does take some time with soaking the beans etc. but so worth the time. Thanks for sharing the recipe!!! Made for PRMR Tag Game.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
LifeIsGood
United States
Hello! I have a wonderful husband and two fantastic kids. I love to read, have fun with family and friends, stay active with: running; soccer; golf; biking; hiking; and gardening. I love to travel. I'm looking forward to more international travel someday. Cooking has become a passion for me. I love to read cookbooks, watch the Food Network, and try new recipes. I have way too many cookbooks! A few of my favorites are: Barefoot Contessa (any - but especially 'Family Style'),Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2, Roasting by Barbara Kafka, Beyond Parsley & The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook. I try to carefully choose recipes that I think my family will enjoy, which is why most of my ratings are 3-5 stars. Happy cooking!