Crescent City Red Beans & Rice (Crock-Pot)

"I grew up working in our family restaurants around New Orleans, which is known as "The Big Easy" or "The Crescent City" (due to the shape of the Mississippi River which runs through the heart of this southern city). Like most mom & pop places, we always served Red Beans & Rice on Monday. Always! I've changed the restaurant version a bit to reflect the fact that I use my Crockpot now. I hope you enjoy these yummy beans as much as I did growing up and as my own family now does. Serve over hot, fluffy white rice and a warm piece buttered and grilled French Bread with a side salad or bowl of coleslaw. Sweet iced tea rounds this awesome southern dish off quite nicely."
 
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photo by Robin and Sue photo by Robin and Sue
photo by Robin and Sue
photo by emar0205 photo by emar0205
photo by yram11 photo by yram11
photo by A Good Thing photo by A Good Thing
photo by Robin and Sue photo by Robin and Sue
Ready In:
6hrs 25mins
Ingredients:
18
Serves:
6
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ingredients

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directions

  • These directions are long because I am covering the method quite thoroughly for new-comers. (-;.
  • SOAK BEANS: On Sunday night (or the night before you want to eat these yummy beans), check beans to be sure there are no stones then place beans in a large bowl and fill almost to the top with water. It's better to have too much water than not enough. The beans will more than double in size overnight. In the morning, I drain beans in a colander and rinse well.
  • A FEW PERSONAL TRICKS: One of the first things I do in the morning is fill my Crockpot with hot tap water just to bring it up to temperature much faster. This saves on cooking time and electricity. I also fill and boil my electric jug (or kettle) - this is the water I will use to cook my beans.
  • PLACE IN CROCKPOT: Beans, ham hock, black pepper, chicken stock powder, chopped garlic, garlic salt, bay leaves, and optional Chipotle powder and liquid smoke. Note: Save adding salt until the end of cook time.
  • COVER WITH HOT WATER: Cover beans with hot water from your jug or kettle just until fully covered. Then add an extra inch of water on top of that. This will give your beans a chance to swell even more during cooking. Cover Crockpot with lid.
  • QUICKLY: Sauté onions and bell-pepper just until they begin to cook. Add these to the beans and stir.
  • COOK: If you are going to be gone all day, cook beans on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. If you will be around to stir, etc., I recommend cooking them on high until they are almost fully cooked (about 4 or 5 hours). Then turn them down to low for the last bit of cooking.
  • ONCE COOKED: When beans are fully cooked, remove bay leaves (if you can find them all) add butter and stir. To thicken beans, add 2 tablespoons corn flour mixed with just enough cold water to dissolve it. Add this to beans and stir for a minute. Beans should thicken a bit in fairly short order. Repeat until you get the desired consistency.
  • ADD: Add salt by half-teaspoon until you reach the level of your liking. It may not take much for you. Also add a bit more fresh ground pepper.
  • NOW: Put your rice on to cook. Slice smoked sausage and cook in a medium-hot cast iron skillet until nicely brown and starting to emit those nice juices. Take skillet off heat but leave sausages where they are. Don't cover.
  • RINSE your rice with hot water. Once drained, place about half a cup of hot fluffy rice in a wide, shallow bowl.
  • COVER rice with a generous amount of red beans. Top with a good amount of hot smoked sausage slices.
  • SPRINKLE with hot sauce and/or more Tony's if you want it spicy like I do.
  • SERVE with hot buttered, grilled slices of French bread, salad or coleslaw, and a big glass of iced tea.
  • ENJOY!
  • EDIT - December 2016 - I'd like to address the review comments regarding mashing your beans to thicken them. The reason I don't do that is because I don't want to lose any of my beans, though I do that if I make a double batch. These freeze so well (without rice). Also, for re-heating, I put beans in a pot on the stove (medium/low) and add small amounts of water to thin them out a bit. They are much better juicy! The beans are very forgiving but they do need that added moisture when being re-heated. And I'd also like to say I am so humbled by all the comments - a BIG thank you to everyone who has reviewed these humble red beans!

Questions & Replies

  1. Do you really rinse the rice after it's cooked? I've never heard of that.
     
  2. Can you double this recipe if making for a large crowd during Mardi Gras?
     
  3. Has anyone tried using an Instant Pot to make these red beans? I’ve always loved this recipe in the crock pot but was looking for a shortcut.
     
  4. When do I add the cajun seasoning? I don't see it in the directions.
     
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Reviews

  1. I'm from New Orleans and I can vouch that this dish is authentic and delicious, as well as easy! Since we're watching our weight, I didn't add in the butter, used smoked turkey sausage instead, and didn't use the garlic salt and it still came out great! I did do it exactly like the recipe for our friends with butter and spicy smoked sausage and they all raved about it! Thanks for a great recipe, highly recommended!
     
  2. Today,was my DH birthday,and as usual he wanted red beans and rice for dinner. I nevered cared much for it,or at least didnt with the old recipe I was using. But I would make it for him..Today I made this crockpot version and it was really good..I did boil water on the stove to cover beans in crock.Took 3 1/2 hour on high for beans to tender...I used Mrs dash southwestern chipotle omitted ham hock. I fried up some johnsonville New Orleans style smoked sausage..My DH was very pleased said he likes this recipe much better .Nice and spicy...Froze 4 meals of red beans..This is the recipe I will be using from now on..Thank U for posting.....
     
  3. Great Stuff!!!! The family couldn't get enough of this and I couldn't get over just how easy it was! It was just the right dish for easy over night and morning prep, long slow cooking while we were at work/school, and simple finishes before dinner. It is not surprising that this is in the Best of 2009 collection because it's going into my tried and true collection too! Thanks A Good Thing for "A Good Thing"!
     
  4. My family loved this one. I used canned chipotle - one whole pepper and about a tablespoon of the adobo sauce, a ham steak instead of the ham hock and mixed in about 4 cups of rice. This one's a keeper!
     
  5. I had to quickly think of something for dinner yesterday because I knew I was having a busy day. This recipe fit the situation great. I did however change things up, and no disrespect to the recipe :( but I just went with what I had on hand. I used some pigs tails that I had in the freezer that need to be used (I'm Portuguese so pigs tails aren't gross to us LOL) For the smoked sausage I used Portuguese Bacon cut into 1/2 in pieces. Also being that I decided to make this the same day, I used 4 cans of red kidney beans (I was having company over so used 4 cans) I up's the chicken broth, but couldn't tell ya by how much cuz I just poured it in. In all this was excellent. I didn't serve it over rice, being Portuguese we love our bread ;) Thank you for the recipe and I will make it again one of these days the way the recipe is written :) Made by member of "Cooks With Dirty Faces" for ZWT5 Zingo
     
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Tweaks

  1. Celery. I have read the rave reviews and decided I just have to try this. I have other red beans and rice recipes but I like the sound of this one. My only addition will be celery. I am a traditionalist and can not make Cajun without celery so I'll add that with the onion and bell pepper.
     
  2. No cornstarch so used tapioca starch since we had it (you need twice as much tapioca as corn). Came out perfect.
     
  3. Oh my GOSH! This was the BEST Red Beans and Rice Recipe I ever tasted! I made a few changes because I didn't have everything on hand. Instead of pink kidney beans I used the dark red ones. Instead of powdered chicken stock I used 6 chicken bullion cubes. To thicken it up I used instant mashed potato flakes instead of cornstarch or corn flower. I also put it on brown rice instead of white rice. I highly suggest you make this. It is the best I've ever had!!!
     
  4. This dish was simply divine. I'll not make red beans and rice any other way. Only change I made was to substitute some smoked pork butt for the sausage, because it was what I had on hand. I appreciated the specific instructions. I did freeze the leftovers (without rice), and they warmed up just great. Way to go meglenn108!
     
  5. I have tried a LOT of recipes for red beans and rice. This is - hands down - the best yet! Tiny modifications made based on what I had on hand: (1) I sometimes have trouble finding true 'red beans' so used adzuki beans instead. Their smaller size results in a nice, creamy texture. (2) I used homemade turkey stock in place of water when cooking (it is just after Thanksgiving and I have more stock than I know what to do with right now... Also omitted the garlic salt. (3) Bone from a smoked ham lent the dish a lovely smoky flavor without the addition of liquid smoke which always somehow tastes artificial to me. I will be making this dish again and again!
     

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