# red beans and rice



## phil c (Jan 19, 2008)

Help! I need a good recipie quick! gonna fry up a bunch of oysters tonight and nedd somthin to go with em!


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

*Hard to beat the Zataran's mix....*

Add some onions and a ham hock, tough to beat IMO.


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

1 pound red kidney beans, dry
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
As much garlic as you like, minced (I like lots, 5 or 6 cloves)
1 large smoked ham hock, 3/4 pound of Creole-style pickle meat (pickled pork), or 3/4 lb. smoked ham, diced, for seasoning
1 to 1-1/2 pounds mild or hot smoked sausage or andouille, sliced on the bias
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
Creole seasoning blend, to taste; OR,
red pepper and black pepper to taste

Salt to taste
Fresh Creole hot sausage or chaurice, links or patties, grilled or pan-fried, one link or patty per person (optional)
Pickled onions (optional)
It's not necessary to soak the beans overnight, but you can if you want to. If you do, drain the water and cover the beans with a double volume of fresh water in the pot. (This helps reduce the, um, flatulence factor.) Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about an hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

While the beans are boiling, sauté the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the ham hock (or ham or pickle meat), smoked sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover. 
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. (If the beans are old -- say, older than six months to a year -- they won't get creamy. Make sure the beans are reasonably fresh. If it's still not getting creamy, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.) 
If you can ... let the beans cool, stick them in the fridge, and reheat and serve for dinner the next day. They'll taste a LOT better. When you do this, you'll need to add a little water to get them to the right consistency. Serve generous ladles-ful over hot white long-grain rice, with good French bread and good beer. I also love to serve grilled or broiled fresh Creole hot sausage or chaurice on the side.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Downtime2 said:


> 1 pound red kidney beans, dry
> 1 large onion, chopped
> 1 bell pepper, chopped
> 5 ribs celery, chopped
> ...


Cooked this up last night. That's a great red beans recipe. Definitely gonna cook it again.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Downtime2 said:


> 1 pound red kidney beans, dry
> 1 large onion, chopped
> 1 bell pepper, chopped
> 5 ribs celery, chopped
> ...


*When I cook mine, I use 9 pounds of beans, and then add the above items, plus a few more spices, I also like to use a raw pork loin. Can't have too much meat.*

*One thing I do, is cook 75% of the beans longer than the remaining 25%. This will give you two different consistencies of beans within the pot. Most very soft, some firm.*

*My 9 pound event produces a heck of allot. I then place two and one half 2.5 cups of beans in a gallon zip lock. Lay flat in freezer, once frozen, stand them up like a book shelf, and I have red beans for many months.*

*Waiting for a cold rainy weekend, as my freezer is empty.*


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