Red Beans and Rice Recipe Know the Secret Tips : Red beans and rice are a New Orleans specialty for the remainder of the nation. However, it’s more than just a straightforward dinner in New Orleans—it’s a Monday custom. My very favorite variation of red beans and rice is this one. It has some spice, is creamy and smokey, and is more to me than just a simple, warm supper. This is how I make my red beans and rice on Mondays.
Red Beans and Rice Recipe Know the Secret Tips
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp bacon drippings or vegetable oil, or ½-cup chopped bacon
- 1 lb smoked or andouille sausage sliced into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 4-6 cloves of fresh garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Creole seasoning I prefer Tony Chachere’s or Slap Ya Mama brands
- 1 tbsp Crystal Hot Sauce
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1 lb smoked ham hock or smoked turkey neck or pickled pork
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 cups water
- 1 lb Camellia Brand Red Beans sorted and soaked overnight
- 2 tsp salt if desired
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper if desired
- ½ stick non-salted butter, warmed optional (or 2 tbsp vegetable oil)
- green onions for garnishment
- steamed long grain rice I prefer Supreme brand rice
Instructions
Use the short soak method or soak the Camellia brand red beans for the entire night before rinsing. Soaking the beans can shorten the cooking time, but it’s not necessary.
Brown the sausage in the bacon drippings in a big pot over MEDIUM heat until the edges are crispy. If you’re using ½ cup of chopped bacon, then add the sausage to the saucepan after the bacon has crisped and rendered some grease. With a slotted spoon, remove and transfer the sausage to a platter, letting it brown evenly before serving.
At this point, add the pickled pork if using. Add the smoked ham hock, bay leaves, and smoked sausage back to the pot. Not required: When serving the red beans, set aside about ½ of the browned sausage to garnish your plate.
Fill the pot up to eight cups with water. After adding the Camellia brand red beans to the saucepan, boil for approximately ten minutes. For one hour, simmer the beans covered, on low heat, stirring now and again to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Take off the top and boil the beans uncovered for one to two hours, stirring from time to time, until they are soft. Add some warm water to the pot if the beans start to dry out.
Remove bay leaves from the pot and discard. Carefully take the ham hock out and place it on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, remove any meat from the ham hock and add the meat back to the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Remove 1 cup of red beans and mash into a paste, then return mashed beans to the pot. Season the beans with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and let the pot simmer for additional 30 minutes. The consistency of the beans should thicken up and become creamy the longer it simmers. If they become too dry, add 1-2 cups of more water.
Five minutes or so before serving, add a ½ stick of unsalted butter or two tablespoons of vegetable oil. The beans will become exceptionally creamy and flavorful as a result. Make sure the butter has warmed up. A cold stick of butter won’t melt through evenly and produce the desired creamy texture.
Over steaming long grain white rice, serve the red beans. Add chopped green onions as a garnish and serve extra Crystal’s Hot Sauce at the table. Have fun!
Recipe Notes
Observation: There is a lot of heat in these red beans. When the Sautéed Cabbage is added to the dish, the flavor is enhanced even further. The freshness of the cabbage and the taste of the vinegar it was cooked in effectively balance out the heat from the red beans, making a delicious combination.
