Last Updated on October 22, 2020 by Nina
You are not the only one who gets excited over beans and rice. Almost every week we have beans of some sort or another, and dish such as chili beans with rice is also very popular. Red beans and rice is a true classic. This dish is made up of humble ingredients that, after a long simmer, are transformed into a bowl of creamy, rich comfort food. This dish is perfect for spring chill. Make this for your family or invite friends to your place, and enjoy red beans and rice.
Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Make this for your family or invite friends to your place, and enjoy red beans and rice.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups of chopped yellow onions
- 3/4 cup of chopped celery
- 3/4 cup of chopped green bell peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- pinch of cayenne
- 3 bay leaves
- 10 cups of chicken stock or water
- 1/4 cup of chopped tasso or chopped ham
- 1/2 pound of smoked sausage split sausage in half lengthwise and cut it into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound of dried red beans rinsed and sorted over
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
- 1 pound of smoked ham hocks
- 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons of bacon grease
- 4 cups of cooked white rice
- 1/4 cup of chopped green onions garnish
Instructions
- In the first step, take a big bowl or pot, place the beans in it, and cover with water by 2 inches. Now, let it soak for about 8 hours or overnight. When done, drain and set aside.
- In the next step, take a big pot and heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat.
- Next, add the tasso and cook for about one minute, stirring frequently. Add the celery, bell peppers, and onions to the grease in the pot. Season with pepper, cayenne, and salt, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Now, add the parsley, sausage, leaves, thyme, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, to brown the sausage and ham hocks. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Next, add the beans and water or stock, stir it very well, and bring to a boil. In this step, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken. In case the beans become too dry and thick, add more water, about a quarter cup at a time.
- In the last step, remove from the heat, and by using the back of a heavy spoon, mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot. Now, continue to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the beans are tender and creamy. Next, remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
