Perfect Red Beans and Rice

Submitted by Penny Stettinius

"Jimy Fahrenholtz spent 25 years perfecting this recipe. So said the article in the Times Picayune."

 

• Ready In: 29hrs
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 30

ingredients

• 2 lbs red kidney red beans, preferably Camellia brand, washed and drained
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 6 bay leaves
• 24 drops Tabasco sauce or 24 drops hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet
• 20 cups water
• 2 -3 lbs ham seasoning, cut up
• cooked long-grain rice, for serving

directions

1. In a very large mixing bowl (or a 12-quart non-reactive pot, or two 6- to 8-quart pots), combine all ingredients except ham, sausage and rice. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. When ready to cook, place all in a pot with the ham and sausage.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and strongly simmer (preferably without skimming), for 1 hour; stir as needed to keep beans from sticking.
4. Reduce heat and slowly simmer, covered, between 2 and 4 hours, or until mixture is very thick and beans are tender.
5. During the slow-simmering process, stir frequently, especially toward end of cooking time, adding more water to pot only if dish seems too dry.
6. About 1 hour before done, periodically mash some of the beans with a potato masher, scraping pan bottom clean after each mashing; try to mash about 40 percent of the beans.
7. Serve immediately over rice or, preferably, let beans cool and refrigerate overnight.
8. Reheat for serving.

Reviews

[Sunshine Forever]

Trinkets, I think Jimy is right. These are the perfect red beans! Everyone in New Orleans eats red beans on Monday--so over the years I have eaten many a plate of beans. I could never get my beans to that real creamy stage no matter how hard I tried. With recipe I did it!! The seasonings are perfect. I used ham from Dorignac's (the best ham in New Orleans) and this was the prefect pot of beans. Made for PAC Spring '09.