Photo: Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease
- 1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch cayenne
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound smoked ham hocks
- 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 10 cups chicken stock, or water
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish
Directions
Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.
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By Dazy143
San Diego
on April 12, 2013
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I think this recipe is great! While I was cooking and tasting last time I was afraid it would be too salty, but by the time it finished it was good. Tonight when I make it I think I will try 1/2 low sodium broth, half water just to be safe.
Also, I use smoked ham hocks (part of what makes it so salty and I find they take longer than 2 hours to get to the falling off the bone stage, but the beans get overcooked when I keep them going for as long as it takes to get the ham hocks done. So now I cook everything else for an hour or so before I put the beans in, for a total cook time of more like 4 hours. Which seems right since Emeril's other "New Orleans Style" red beans recipe cooks that long and isn't too different from this one. Delicious!
By lala1128
on April 09, 2013
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This recipe tastes fantastic! I have a couple of comments that I wanted to post for anyone thinking about making it.
You can use the quick soak method for dried beans. Bring them to a boil, remove from heat, cover and soak for 1 hour. The amount of broth called for in this recipe will not reduce enough in 2 hours. After smashing the beans, I cooked for another 30 to 45 minutes. This allowed for a creamy consistency and the celery completely dissolves (my Louisiana native boyfriend was bothered by green things in his red beans.
All in all a great recipe and well worth the cooking time!
By nonaborreggine
leesville, LA
on February 21, 2013
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Living in la for 18 years now. This recipe is Amazing and perfect!! My family's New favorite!
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